MSG Files Against Inglewood

The owners of the Forum are suing their host city of Inglewood, Calif., failing to disclose public records and may have another suit coming for tricking the company into giving up land that can now be used for a competing venue.

Mark J. Terrill/AP, file – L.A. Clippers
Forward Blake Griffin shoots as Washington Wizards center Ian Mahinmi, left, of France, guard Bradley Beal, second from right, and forward Otto Porter Jr. defend during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles.

The bad blood started when Inglewood announced an exclusive negotiating agreement with the NBA’s Clippers in June to explore building a 20,000-seat arena across the street from the under-construction stadium for the NFL’s Rams. Such an arena would put the new arena in direct competition with the 17,500-capacity Forum, which also borders the land for the stadium, and MSG issued a statement June 15 accusing the city of “backroom dealing.”

The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court by MSG Forum, LLC July 28 and centers around the city’s failure to disclose substantial amounts of public records regarding the agreement. Despite a request for documents related to the deal, the suit claims MSG was provided with only five documents – two copies of the agreement, single emails from Butts and City Council Member Alex Padilla, and a list of questions and answers about the project – all of which were dated after the agreement was approved, the Los Angeles Times reported.

“Respondents’ assertions that they lack any additional records responsive to petitioners’ PRA requests simply is not credible,” the complaint read, according to the Times.

The city reportedly did not file for exemption from Public Records Requests and also told the Times it did not have any relevant documents to disclose.

The suit is reportedly for legal fees and seeks a writ of mandate to force disclosure of all relevant documents.

MSG previously filed a claim for damages against Inglewood July 19, alleging Mayor James Butts tricked the company into giving up its lease on land near the stadium, promising it would be used to build a business-technology park. Now that the same land could be used for the competing stadium, MSG’s claim could precede another lawsuit.

The city held a hearing to discuss potential problems with the agreement July 21, but the deal was unanimously reapproved at that meeting.

The Clippers are currently leased at the Staples Center in downtown LA, but the team and AEG are reportedly in discussions to renegotiate that agreement, as the team owner Steve Ballmer has wanted a new arena since he bought the team for $2 billion in 2014, and may be willing to foot the bill for the project.

The negotiating agreement between the team and the city lasts 36 months and costs the Clippers $1.5 million in city expenses.