In a true show of force and community solidarity, leaders from several Neighborhood Councils and community organizations, as well as concerned residents and neighbors, gathered on Monday for a press conference at City Hall to announce their concerns regarding the City’s evaluation of proposals for the operation of the Greek Theater and their endorsement of a more in-depth comparison study of the two companies vying to operate the facility for the next two decades. The crowd then moved inside to City Council chambers to attend a meeting of the Committee for Arts, Parks, Health, Aging & River, which discussed plans for the theater’s future operation. The council chambers were packed to the brim, and the crowd overflowed into the Public Works room as supporters of both sides came to voice their opinions.
A Department of Recreation and Parks committee had unanimously recommended Live Nation over the current operator, Nederlander, but Los Feliz-area residents have been fighting the recommendation through a grassroots campaign, community support, and the Community Impact Statement process.
The Los Feliz Neighborhood Council, representing many neighbors of the Greek Theater in Griffith Park, expressed their strong support for the Nederlander/AEG proposal and urged the City to reconsider its preliminary approval of Live Nation’s proposal. Additionally, the Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council submitted a letter expressing their disapproval of the Live Nation proposal, citing the over 29,000 community members who have signed petitions supporting Nederlander Concerts, who is currently successfully operating the venue at a profit to the City and whose bid is less expensive and “more favorable” than Live Nation’s proposal. Their letter calls for an independent and transparent overview, analysis, and comparison of the two proposals before a final decision is made on the management of this “important cultural asset.”
Additional Neighborhood Councils and organizations present to express support for the Nederlander/AEG bid and call for reconsideration of the two proposals were the Los Feliz Improvement Association, Hollywood Studios District Neighborhood Council, Hollywood Hills West Neighborhood Council, Atwater Village Neighborhood Council, Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council, and Studio City Neighborhood Council.
Jay Handal, co-chair of the Neighborhood Council Budget Advocates, called for a complete apples-to-apples fiscal analysis of the two proposals, arguing that the proposals were not compared on even terms and that “leaving money on the table is a mistake.” Councilmember Buscaino commended the Budget Advocates and neighborhood groups, stating that the City Council “need[s] to do a better job listening to the Budget Advocates,” as they are “champions” for making sound fiscal choices that will benefit the communities involved.
The Neighborhood Councils worked together to express their opinions on the proposals and calling for another analysis of the theatre’s management proposals by galvanizing their communities and filing eightCommunity Impact Statements to be attached to the Council File. These are some of the first CISs filed under the new system, and serve as an important illustration of the influence that Neighborhood Councils and Community Impact Statements can have on City decisions.
An important tip to remember when filing a Community Impact Statement: your approval, rejection, or neutrality on the subject must mirror the motion being put forth — so it’s very important to read and understand the proposed motion before writing and submitting your CIS.
The Committee meeting, led by Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell, began with a detailed presentation of information from both proposals from the Department of Recreation & Parks, whose board of commissioners recommended the Live Nation proposal. The meeting proceeded with a 10-minute presentation from both Live Nation and Nederlander/AEG, followed by 20 minutes of comments from supporters of each side, as well as general public comments.
The meeting concluded with a motion by Councilmember Curren Price, seconded by Councilmember Tom Labonge, that rejected the Rec & Parks committee’s recommendation and sent the issue on to the full City Council.
This collaborative effort illustrates the impact that Neighborhood Councils can make when they work together with each other and their stakeholders and utilize formal channels such as Community Impact Statements to strongly express their collective opinions on an issue that affects their communities. The importance of the Neighborhood Councils and the Budget Advocates in this process has prompted local media to call the event a “harbinger of community clout” and suggests that community groups are growing in influence and involvement in the City’s decision-making processes.
Further details on Council File 14-1500 can be found at the City Clerk Connect website, and more information on the CIS process can be found at our Community Impact Statements page.