Staples Development Approved
As expected, the Los Angeles City Council signed off on developers’ plans to build a $1 billion entertainment center with a 1,200-room hotel and 7,000-seat theater next to Staples Center.
The council did not address the question of public subsidies for the project, which the L.A. Arena Land Co. said will be necessary to build the hotel.
The City Council’s 11-0 vote clears the way for construction to begin on the project, which would include shops, restaurants and nightclubs on 27 acres.
Officials of the development company, which is controlled by billionaires Rupert Murdoch and Philip Anschutz, said they hope to break ground next year.
Disney and Fox Launch Video-on-Demand
Less than a month after a coalition of five studios announced its plan for Internet and cable television video-on-demand services, Walt Disney Co. and News Corp. announced a joint venture to distribute movies electronically.
With exclusive distribution rights on some content from Disney and News Corp.’s Fox group, Movie.com will debut next year. Like the rival service from Sony Pictures Entertainment, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros., Movie.com will make movies available through high-speed Internet connections or cable TV.
Ticket Seller Leaving L.A.
As part of a consolidation of its reservation operations, Internet travel company Cheap Tickets Inc. will close its Los Angeles call center. About 110 workers will be affected by the closing. The displaced workers will be able to apply for jobs at other call centers, officials of the Honolulu-based company said.
Concert Promoters Reach Pact
Ending a long-running dispute over management of the Greek Theatre, House of Blues Concerts and Nederlander-Greek Inc. have reached a deal that will allow Nederlander, the longtime operator of the Griffith Park venue, to remain.
House of Blues and Nederlander will create a partnership to promote and market concerts at the Greek and the Universal Amphitheatre under a profit-sharing arrangement, where House of Blues has exclusive programming rights.
In 1999, the Los Angeles City Council awarded Nederlander a five-year extension to its contract but retracted it after House of Blues funded a petition drive to put the matter to voters.
Name Change for Sizzler
Culver City-based Sizzler International Inc. has changed its name to Worldwide Restaurant Concepts Inc. In addition to its 344 Sizzler restaurants worldwide both company and franchisee-owned the company operates 105 Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants in Australia and 11 Pat and Oscar’s restaurants in Southern California and Arizona.
Magic Mountain Accused of Discrimination
In the second such action this summer, two Latino men have sued Six Flags Magic Mountain for allegedly discriminating against minority patrons.
Lawyers for the plaintiffs, both Panorama City men, say security guards stopped and search them because their race made them fit the profile of gang members.
Last month, a class-action lawsuit was filed against the park alleging that it has discriminated against more than 4,000 black patrons.
Magic Mountain officials have adamantly denied that the park discriminates on the basis of race.
