LA Parks Considering Taking Over Management Of Greek Theatre

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Who should manage the Greek Theatre? After months of back-and-forth between Live Nation and Nederlander, the city of Los Angeles could just take over management of the concert venue itself.

Without enough panelists present to vote, the Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Commission delayed a vote Wednesday on a proposal to have the city operate the Greek Theatre without the help of an outside management company. The vote was rescheduled for the panel's next meeting on March 19.

The City Council, facing pressure from residents and bidders looking to win the venue's management contract, recently indicated that it would not support the parks commission's recommendation to hand over management of the Greek Theatre to Live Nation instead of granting long-time operator Nederlander an extension to their contract.

The parks commission was expected to consider restarting the bidding process, with some City Council members suggesting Nederlander's contract be extended a year while the city begins a new search. Nederlander's contract expires this fall and is expected to run out before a new management company is found.

But Department of Recreation & Parks officials are now proposing the city scrap the outside contracts and take over management itself, much like Denver has with the Red Rock Amphitheater.

The parks commission is being asked to cancel the recent bidding process and return proposal deposits to the two bidders, Nederlander and Live Nation. This would set the stage for a new bidding process that includes the self-operating idea to begin, staffers said.

The new recommendation comes after the Los Angeles City Council voted 11-3 last month to oppose giving the contract to Live Nation. The vote was advisory, but if the Recreation and Parks Department had gone ahead in negotiating a contract with Live Nation, the final management agreement would still require the City Council's approval at a later date.

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