News of the Arroyo
Title: | It's Still Futbol |
Subtitle: | City Council vote clears the way for Olympic soccer in the Rose Bowl |
Date: | 2016-09-29 |
Summary: | <b>September 29, 2016</b> - The Pasadena City Council approved a plan for the Rose Bowl to host up to seven Olympic soccer games in 2024 if Los Angeles is named as the host city for that year's games. |
Author: | Andre Coleman |
Publication: | Pasadena Weekly |
Content: | The Pasadena City Council voted 7-0 Monday to host up to seven Olympic soccer matches at the Rose Bowl in 2024 if Los Angeles is named as the host city of that year’s Olympic Games. “We are excited about the prospects of hosting our third Olympic Games,” said Rose Bowl General Manager Darryl Dunn. The vote only allows for the Olympic events. Additional displacement or large-scale events attracting more than 20,000 people that year will have to be approved by the council. According to the City Charter, additional events must be approved by the council, which must find that the additional events present a unique opportunity that will enhance the stature of the stadium. The council must also find the event presents no undue conflicts in the Arroyo Seco, and that it does not impose undue adverse impacts on the surrounding residential area. According to a city staff report, the Olympic events meet the criteria and advanced planning will allow the city to deal with impacts on the surrounding residential neighborhoods. As part of the agreement, Mayor Terry Tornek must submit a letter of agreement to LA24, the Olympic exploratory committee, guaranteeing that the city will provide its normal level of public safety officers and services, not host additional events during the Olympic Games that could overtax public safety, and work with state and federal law enforcement agencies to guarantee a safe and peaceful celebration during the event. The Rose Bowl has hosted Olympic events as far back as 1932 when cycling was held at the stadium. In 1984, the stadium hosted six soccer games, including Gold and Bronze Medal matches. Soccer — known internationally as futbol — is one the world’s most popular sports. While the UCLA Bruins play their football games there, neighbors of the stadium have vehemently opposed proposals to allow a professional football team to play there. In the past, big name concerts have been held at the Rose Bowl, but according to the report, those concerts will soon come to a halt. “By 2024, with the completion of renovations at the USC Coliseum and the construction of the new NFL stadium in Inglewood, the RBOC does not anticipate hosting as many displacement events as in the recent past. Therefore, the inconvenience of one month’s worth of Olympic Games is expected to be well tolerated,” wrote Dunn in a staff report. |
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