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By Veronica Mackey
On June 28, the public got a preview of Inglewood’s Intuit Dome, the new basketball arena for the Los Angeles Clippers, at Century and Prairie, across from SoFi Stadium.
It was the perfect setting to celebrate the rebirth of Inglewood and the major players who have made it possible, including the owner of Intuit and the L.A. Clippers, Steve Ballmer.
The gathering of well-heeled billionaires, politicians, business owners and proud residents was billed as the “2024 Inglewood State of the City Economic Summit.” It was all about the City’s transformation, under the leadership of Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts, Jr.
Sports anchor, talk show host and summit emcee, Fred Roggin, talked about his relationship with Mayor Butts, how they became good friends, and how nobody believed Butts could bring the City back from the brink of bankruptcy.
“When you look at Inglewood before Mayor Butts, and you look at it now, it is one of the greatest success stories in American history,” Roggin said.
The mayor talked about the challenges of taking office at a time when the City was facing an “$18M structural deficit and zero dollars in the General Fund. We had to cut the budget and jobs. We abolished the false promise of a lifetime medical program, and used temp agencies. We had 1900 trees in Inglewood, and had only trimmed around 600 trees per year. It you put a tree up, you would have had it trimmed about every 30 years.”
Fast forward to 2024. There is currently $170 in the General Fund. SoFi Stadium will host Super Bowl LXI in 2027, followed by the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Hollywood Park is undergoing major renovation with high-end retail and housing, to the mayor’s credit. The Kia Forum continues to be a major contender for the concert scene in Southern California, and a fierce competitor of the Crypto Arena in Downtown L.A. Inglewood is continuing its forward trajectory of creating more attractions, more jobs, and more revenue.
Since those tough days, sport team acquisitions and retail has grown exponentially. There are only 3 other cities that are comparable in terms of accomplishment: Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco.
“What we accomplished in 10 short years took those cities a generation to accomplish,” Butts said. “Property values have tripled since 2011. Inglewood now has the eighth highest medium home value in California.”
The mayor acknowledged current Inglewood City Councilmembers: Gloria Gray (District 1), Alex Padilla (District 2) Eloy Morales (District 3), and Dionne Faulk (District 4).
“I did not endorse the mayor when we first ran for mayor. We kicked him off the ballot. You are here because I kicked you off the ballot,” Morales said jokingly.
The mayor presented the Community Champion Award to L.A. Laker, NBA head coach and Morningside High alum Byron Scott. “When I first came into the league, it was called the City of Champions and now, it is again the City of Champions,” Scott said.
Reggie Theus, former Chicago Bull and Inglewood High alum, was also a Community Champion recipient. Theus, who is now the Men’s Head Basketball Coach and Athletic Director of Bethune-Cookman College, was one of the first kids to integrate Inglewood High School.
The Beacon Award went to State Sen. Steven Bradford.
The Architect of Change Award went to retired District 4 Councilman Ralph Franklin. “Ralph had to vote in favor of furloughs and cutting the lifetime medical. We owe him a debt of gratitude,” the mayor said.
“Yes, I had to deal with some tough love,” Franklin acknowledged.
Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa served as moderator to the panel, which included Butts, Ballmer, Jeb Terry, CEO and President of Cosm; Casey Wasserman, 2028 Olympic Committee Chairman; and Patrick Soon-Shiong, L.A. Times owner.
Terry said the soon-to-open Cosm entertainment center is the future of live sports and entertainment, “The watch party experience in live format.”
Butts added: “If you can’t get a ticket to the Super Bowl, you can go to Cosm, and stand or sit and feel like you’re at the 50-yard line. It will only cost you $33 instead of a $300 ticket
Wasserman praised the City for having the foresight to build sports facilities perfectly suited for the 2028 Olympic Games. He said the men’s and women’s basketball teams will play 46 games in 14 days at Intuit Dome. Two swimming pools will be installed at SoFi.
Inglewood’s renaissance is palpable with newness popping up everywhere: Sofi, the Kia Forum, Hollywood Park, new retail and housing developments. But now, all eyes are on the Intuit Dome and Ballmer as his Clippers join the Inglewood-based NFL Rams and Chargers.
“We want energy. We wanted a tight, intimate feel. We’re about basketball, basketball, basketball. Keep it tight; keep it intense; keep the fans involved,” Ballmer said.
The Intuit Dome will officially open with 2 shows by R&B sensation Bruno Mars on August 15 and 16.
