Legislation Paves the Way for Jobs and Economic Development in Los Angeles
SACRAMENTO – Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez (D-Los Angeles) today announced SB 292 passed the Assembly with overwhelming bipartisan support. The bill, authored by Senator Padilla (D-Pacoima) will help bring a stadium and convention center to downtown Los Angeles, creating more than 23,000 jobs — including 12,000 full-time jobs during the construction process and 11,000 more permanent jobs at the Convention Center — while including some of the strongest environmental and traffic mitigation efforts ever implemented in conjunction with building a stadium.
“Farmers Field will be the most far-reaching environmentally friendly stadium in the United States,” Speaker Pérez said. “This bill requires that the percentage of attendees arriving at stadium events by public transit and other non-vehicle means will be 10 percent better than any other NFL stadium in the country.”
Senate Bill 292 includes no exemptions from environmental laws while allowing for expedited environmental reviews — fast tracking job creation in the community while constructing a carbon-neutral stadium that will prioritize transit more than any other NFL stadium. The ground-breaking environmental components of this project helped the bill garner the support of two of the most respected environmental groups in California — the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the California League of Conservation Voters (CLCV).
Pérez, who created an ad hoc group in the Assembly to study the issue, thanked Assemblymembers Mike Feuer, Wes Chesbro, Bob Blumenfield, Ricardo Lara, Nora Campos and Steven Bradford, who made certain that the environmental and traffic issues associated with the project were addressed.
The retractable-roof stadium would allow for expansion to 78,000 seats for Super Bowls and Final Fours alike, drawing crowds and business to downtown Los Angeles through a private sector investment of more than $1.3 billion dollars. In addition, the project will generate over $600 million in total economic activity, raising more than $40 million in city, county and state tax revenues.
“Farmers Field is an exciting project for Los Angeles and California,” Speaker Pérez said. “Los Angeles is a world class city, and this is a world-class project that will make our entire state proud.”
The project has gained wide support in Los Angeles, where the Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a Memorandum of Understanding with AEG last month in order to continue progress made on the proposed project.”
SB 292 will next be heard by the full Senate.
CONTACT: John Vigna (916) 319-2408
