Review of the Los Angeles Staples Center


August 27th, 2012
Downtown Los Angeles Staples Center

Downtown Los Angeles Staples Center

The Staples Center is positioned in the heart of downtown Los Angles, so it is accessible from most significant freeways. It was rapidly built on an 18 month schedule at a price of roughly $300 million. While the seating differs for other tenants such as the Lakers and Clippers , the LA Kings seating potential is listed at 18,118.

The main factor this isn’t Five stars is that there are virtually no decent food choices here. But with LOS ANGELES Live just across Chick Hearn Ct., they are thankfully not too far away. As for the typical claims about this place:

Parking
Those lots with the guys waving the flags, advertising $20 and $25 parking? Those are for visitors!! The Pico Station of the Metro Blue line is ONE BLOCK from the Staples Center. And the Pico Station is ONE STATION away from the 7th/Metro station, that connects you to the Purple and Red Lines.

There isn’t a reason you must park close to Staples Center and pay the exorbitant fees. Even if you can not take the train all the way in, it’s worth finding parking closer to 7th/Metro Center and taking the train down one stop. Additionally, you’ll be outside of the cluster trying to get back on the freeway at 8th or Olympic after the show.

DRINKS
You are going to spend $9 for a beer and nearly as much for red wine. This is pretty common. You’ll find some more elaborate alcoholic options at the Harbor or Figueroa Bars found near each of the main entrances of the building.

Atmosphere
Before fans even set foot on the terrazzo floors in the arena, a rather fascinating vibe is produced from simply walking around the arena and taking in the sights at LA Live. For any given game, you’ll find crowds around the arena taking photos of the statues and trying to get their faces on many of the live tapings outside of the gates. Once the lights dim, fans will see the players walking through a makeshift castle on their way to the ice. The intros are rather long with all sorts of images being shown on the ice, green laser beams illuminating the arena, and a energetic chant of “Go Kings Go” to start off the action.

With numerous transplants in the LA area, you will find many opposing fans originally from different regions attending the games. This leads to some fantastic banter during the game and seems to engage the Kings fans even more. It creates an enjoyable ambiance from the first drop of the puck. The LA fans have had a great showing recently at the Staples Center, making a guest team game a tough ticket to come by. Of all LA-based professional sporting events, the fans here seem to be in their seats for gametime.

Service
Those individuals in the maroon jackets have been extremely effective every time I’ve needed them. On the latest visit, one guy even walked us nearly a quarter around the Center in search of some special masks that had been handed out to prior arrivals.

Lineup
Okay, any artist that performs at the Staples Center will likely be high class. We’ve also got our pro basketball and hockey teams. The Hollywood Bowl is, in my opinion, the only other venue in Los Angeles that brings in the heavy hitting headliner shows.. No, they’re not the personal shows that will allow you to get up close and personal with the performer.

You can go to the Greek, the Gibson, the Forum, the Home Depot Center, or perhaps hop next door to the Nokia Theater, but playing Staples Center is truly an achievement for any performer. We were there recently for Kaskade to not only be the first EDM artist to headline, but also to sell out, Staples Center.

Conclusion
Staples Center was the very first arena in sports to become the long term home of three professional sports teams. While the setting between a hockey game and basketball game are vastly various, the turnover rate to change one to another is rather outstanding. Appreciate the Staples Center for what it is: A Los Angeles landmark and an indelible part of the city’s history.

If you can’t stand expensive parking and costly beverages, but you love stars, basketball games, and people-watching, then I have 3 words for you: WELCOME TO LOS ANGELES.

- Chris Mattos

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By Chris Cabrera
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Busiest 4 Days in History of STAPLES Center & L.A. LIVE!


May 17th, 2012
Los Angeles Staples Center

Staples Center Live and Downtown LA

LIVE, STAPLES Center and Downtown Los Angeles will be the center of the sports universe beginning Thursday night. Kings, Lakers, Clippers and the world’s best cyclists will all compete for coveted championship titles during an unprecedented 80 hours in Los Angeles

Fans are encouraged to plan extra travel and parking time if attending any of the events happening in or around STAPLES Center this Sunday, May 20, 2012. In addition to our sold-out playoff games, the streets of downtown will be filled with spectators watching the downtown circuit of the AMGEN TOUR of California cycling race, which finishes on Figueroa Street at Chick Hearn/11th Street at approximately 11:45 AM.

Additionally, the Los Angeles Kings and STAPLES Center have announced to open it’s doors early Sunday morning inviting ticketed fans to enter the arena as early as 9:00 AM. Complimentary coffee and doughnuts will be served until 10:30 AM to ticketholders.

The Los Angeles Convention Center will also be hosting a conference on Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Road Closures – Sunday, May 20th

Figueroa Street from Pico Blvd. to Olympic Blvd.
Chick Hearn Ct. from Flower Street to Georgia Street
Pico Blvd. from Flower Street to Figueroa Street
Flower Street from Pico Blvd. to 11th Street
Olympic Blvd. from Figueroa Street to Olive Street
Olive Street, North of Olympic Blvd.
11th Street from Flower Street to Hill Street
Hill Street, North of 11th Street

All of the above streets will be re-opened prior to the end of the Kings game. Pedestrian bridges to cross Figueroa Street will be erected at Figueroa Street just north of Chick Hearn Ct. and at Figueroa Street just north of Pico Blvd.

Directions to Lot 1, Lot W and Lot C are attached for your reference.

Weekend Event Schedule & Information

Thursday, May 17th at 6:00 PM Kings vs. Phoenix Coyotes (Round 3, Home Game 1)
Friday, May 18th at 7:30 PM Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (Series B, Home Game 1)
Saturday, May 19th at 12:30 PM Clippers vs. San Antonio Spurs (Round B, Home Game 1)
Saturday, May 19th at 7:30 PM Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (Series B, Home Game 2)
Sunday, May 20th at 8:00 AM “Nissan Ride Before the Pros” (Free to the public, register at http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/nissan.html)
Sunday, May 20th at 10:30 AM AMGEN TOUR of California downtown circuit (beginning on Rodeo Drive, finishing downtown at approximately 11:45 AM)
Sunday, May 20th at 12:00 PM Kings vs. Phoenix Coyotes (Round 3, Home Game 2)
Sunday, May 20th at 7:30 PM Clippers vs. San Antonio Spurs (Round B, Home Game 2)

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By Chris Cabrera
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Then there is the LA Kings


February 7th, 2012

The Staples Center has the pleasure of witnessing the high-scoring, high-octane offense of the Lob City-dubbed Los Angeles Clippers.     As long as the LA Lakers have a certain fellow that wears #24, scoring will always take place no matter who is on his supporting cast.   However, there is one team that occupies the Staples Center that definitely has not lit up the league in terms of scoring.   Despite holding the #7 spot in the NHL Western Conference Standings, the Los Angeles Kings are dead last in the NHL in scoring.   Their defense has kept them in the playoff hunt as they’re 4th in the league in defense with only 116 goals allowed.    The Kings have lost their last two games and managed only 47 shots on goal combined within those two games.  Conventional wisdom dictates that if they want to play postseason hockey, they have to start putting the puck in the back of the net.    Daryl Sutter has failed to generate some offense for the LA Kings nearly a month after replacing the axed Terry Murray.

Kings GM Dean Lombardi is on the hot seat.    This is the third head coach that has been hired under his tenure.    At some point, the fan base is going to take their finger-pointing away from the head coach and towards the front office.   The point could be right now.    The acquisition of Mike Richards has failed to jump-start the sputtering engine that is the Kings offense.     In the last 18 games, he has managed just one measly goal.  Gulp.    Simon Gagne is on the shelf with a concussion.  GULP!

They have 20 days until the deadline to try to make a move that could at least alleviate their offensive struggles.     The lining may not be silver at all.   Dean Lombardi has stated out loud his current struggle to find a worthy acquisition. Last year’s acquisition of Dustin Penner by Lombardi has panned out to the tune of four overall goals during the season.

As it is, the Kings may be too salary-cap strapped to make a move at the trade deadline.   They will have nearly 14 million off of their cap room for next season.   However, it’s becoming increasingly unlikely that Dean Lombardi may not get a chance to work with the new cap room.

Los Angeles Kings Tickets are available for all home games at the STAPLES Center. Score your Blackhawks Vs Kings, Bruins Vs Kings or cross town rivals Ducks Vs Kings Tickets.

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By Chris Cabrera
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The Staples Center


January 26th, 2012

Standing tall outside on the Star Plaza are statues of Los Angeles sports heroes Magic Johnson, Wayne Gretzky, Oscar De La Hoya, Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn, and, most recently, Jerry West, the literal “icon” for the National Basketball Association. Today five major sports teams call the Staples Center home, including the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers of the NBA, the WNBA L.A. Sparks, the NHL’s L.A. Kings, and now the NBA D-League’s L.A. D-Fenders. Previously, before the team’s dissolution, the AFL’s L.A. Avengers played at the Staples Center as well. The Center was constructed in just under a year, from 1998-1999, by the Staples corporation. There was some controversy regarding its founding, as the Los Angeles Times Magazine devoted an entire issue in October of 1999 to the opening of the giant new sports arena. The Times were discovered to be a “founding partner” of the Center in exchange for a hefty profit-share, free advertising, and other goodies. The question was raised: what is the relationship between struggling print-media outlets and advertising sources that lead to “profit-sharing”? 300 workers from the Times itself signed a petition in protest later that year, but little was ever done about it and the issue has nearly been forgotten.

Aside of its controversial founding, the Center has gone on to easily recover the $375 million dollar cost of construction. It has also been discovered that the L.A. Times was one of 12 profit sharing companies involved in the founding. In fact, the Center makes so much money per event that it has been quite a boon for the local community. Almost nightly it can house up to 19,000 fans with an average ticket price of well over $60. The Center recently got exposure in the indie flick Drive starring Ryan Gosling, where, during a heist of some kind, uses traffic from the aftermath of a Clipper game to disguise his getaway. With over 250 events year-round and more than 4 million visitors, the Staples Center is a fixture for the Greater L.A. area.

More recently, the Center has become part of its parent company’s, Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), L.A. Live complex. Located in downtown Los Angeles, the Live complex is nearly 6 million square feet of Los Angeles entertainment, including bars, theaters, restaurants, ballrooms, museums, and residences. A big secret to the rest of the country, L.A. Live is currently constructing Farmers Field, an NFL stadium set to bring professional football back to L.A. Since the Staples Center is home to both of Los Angeles’ professional basketball teams, the Lakers and the Clippers, whenever the two teams clash for hometown dominance (a clash that has more than naught ended in a Lakers victory), L.A. erupts. Bringing a competitive NFL team back to L.A. would only serve to stir up even more fanfare for professional sporting events. Combined with the recent promised ascension of the L.A. Clippers as “Lob City” starring Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, Los Angeles’ prized sporting Center will feature prominently on the minds of many sports fans throughout the nation for years to come.

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By Chris Cabrera
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