L.A. Memorial Coliseum Talks at Impasse
USC is seeking a two-year agreement with the Rose Bowl. The Rose Bowl Operating Company is planning to consider the USC lease agreement at the Dec. 6 meeting of its board of directors.
"Although we have been a faithful tenant of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for 80 years, we must now seek other alternatives for the good of our football program and our fans," said USC Senior Vice President for Administration Todd R. Dickey. "The Coliseum has not benefited from substantive physical upgrades or preventative maintenance for more than 10 years because the commission has focused on attracting an NFL team that would renovate the stadium."
Dickey said that after several members of the Coliseum Commission requested that USC submit a proposal for a long-term lease, the university earlier this year engaged an outside firm, ISES Corp., to conduct a thorough review of the condition of the Coliseum. Based on the report, USC offered to fund a minimum of $100 million toward the repair, restoration and substantial upgrade of the Coliseum. That offer was rejected by the Coliseum Commission.
Dickey said that USC would continue to seek a long-term lease agreement with the Coliseum Commission.
"Playing in a renovated Coliseum would be our first choice," he said. "However, the commission's rejection of our offer to provide for improvements such as bathroom and concession upgrades, new seats, new gates, new lights and a new sound and video system has led to this step."
USC Director of Athletics Mike Garrett added: "We want our football program to stay at the Coliseum. But, as we all know, the Coliseum needs significant upgrades to provide fans with the Trojan game experience they deserve. We'll keep working to stay in the Coliseum, but until we have full support from the Coliseum Commission, we're forced to pursue the option of playing in the Rose Bowl."
USC began playing football in the L.A. Memorial Coliseum in 1923, playing the inaugural game in the Coliseum against Pomona College, which lost 23-7. However, the university's history with the Rose Bowl stretches almost one year longer: USC played the first football game in that stadium against the University of California on Oct. 28, 1922. California won 12-0.
For more information on USC's negotiatons regarding the Coliseum, visit http://www.usc.edu/coliseum/
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