L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti Confirms Big Events May Be Banned Until 2021
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L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti confirmed today that the city may not authorize large events, such as concerts, sporting events and possibly movie premieres, until 2021.
“It’s difficult to imagine us getting together in the thousands anytime soon,” said Garcetti. “We’ve got many, many miles to walk before we’re going to be back in those environments.”
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Garcetti also confirmed a report that quoted a fire department email sent after one of the mayor’s multi-department briefings that stated “large gatherings such as concerts and sporting events may not be approved in the city for at least 1 year.” That would take the ban well into 2021.
That timeline is significant for many reasons. The concert industry and musicians would, of course, be hit hard. Sports teams likewise. Even Oscar season, with its many premieres and parties could be transformed by such a ban.
Possibly the single biggest blow could be land on the shoulders of Rams owner Stan Kroeneke. His new stadium complex was set to open in Inglewood in July.
Kroenke has reportedly spent at least $1.6 billion of his own fortune on the $5 billion project. That would make it the NFL’s most expensive stadium. There is also a performance venue as well as retail and office space planned that, according to the Wall Street Journal, could push the complex’s price tag to $10 billion. The Rams and The Chargers were supposed to start their seasons at the stadium this fall.
All of that is in jeopardy now that the complex’s two main draws may not be able to pack the 70,000-seat stadium.
New York and New Orleans have indicated they may also ban large events into next year.
New York mayor Bill de Blasio said today, “We have one shot at this,” before stressing that packing people into Yankee Stadium only to see a resurgence would be “the worst of all worlds.”
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