PAGE 3: Saban’s Stumble; Martin’s Mudder; Sullivan’s Sign Off

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Seems Haim Saban has stumbled again – and it’s notable that the billionaire tends to fall forward. He stumbled into what became an entertainment and merchandise franchise for the ages while channel surfing in a hotel room in Japan in 1984 – a local show that became the “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.” A source in the know says Saban recently stumbled into hot Israeli rap act Static & Ben El Tavori and plans to “roll it out to the world” in 2019. Notable also that Saban made a living in the music business long before the Power Rangers … Chris Martin made a living as a groomsman – think horse stables, not wedding receptions – at his father’s broodmare ranch in the Santa Ynez Valley long before he took the helm of AC Martin, the downtown-based architecture firm. Martin didn’t claim that gave him any edge during a picture-perfect Day at the Races hosted by South Pasadena-based Whittier Trust Investment & Wealth Management on Oct. 19 at Santa Anita – he and his wife, Jeanette, both said they’re no better than the average rail bird on picking horses. They did think they had it figured one time back when they were college sweethearts and got a tip about an overlooked mudder named Cocinero on a rainy day in Arcadia. They learned a lesson when they got to the track a bit late, and their hopes of a windfall got shut out at the window … No shutout for AC Martin in the run-up to the Whittier Trust party – the day before saw the firm named as the main local presence in a consortium of 11 businesses that won a $2 billion contract for a consolidated car-rental facility near LAX … How impressive has the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills been since Beny Alagem opened the place on nine acres at Wilshire and Santa Monica a little more than a year ago? Enough for Alessandro Cabella, general manager of Rome Cavalieri Waldorf Astoria Resort, to call it the flagship of the brand – and that comes from a guy who runs a place that sits on a hilltop with commanding views of the Eternal City, and offers all sorts of pampering spa services, five swimming pools and a clay tennis court spread over 15 acres. Cabella noted the Beverly Hills edition holds the Waldorf Astoria flag in part because its counterpart in Manhattan is closed for renovation – but he didn’t hold back on his enthusiasm for the L.A. market, which he plans to visit annually to keep in touch with whatever well-heeled business and leisure travelers want when in Rome … Don’t tell the hipsters, but anyone who needs a cup of coffee in Echo Park might notice the Starbucks Reserve at Sunset & Mohawk fits the neighborhood to a T … Sullivan Says: I’m moving on after a wonderful year-and-a-half of putting readers in the picture of the Los Angeles business landscape in this space each week – but I can’t go before telling all of you to feel free to stay in touch through LinkedIn or by email at [email protected].

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