Jerry Buss would be jealous.
The legendary Lakers owner innovated the Forum Club, an exclusive in-stadium VIP zone for L.A.’s A-list during games and concerts. But, like every other club in Los Angeles, alcohol sales were prohibited past 2 a.m., even in the heyday of Showtime.
Now, thanks to a bill quietly passed in the California State Senate last night, an exclusive venue in Steve Ballmer‘s brand-new Intuit Dome in Inglewood looks likely to party until 4 a.m.
AB 3206, introduced by Assemblymember Tina McKinnor, authorizes “alcoholic beverage sales to occur between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. upon the on-sale licensed premises operated in a fully enclosed arena with a seating capacity of at least 18,000 seats located in the City of Inglewood.” Those sales must “occur in a private area in the arena no larger than 2,500 square feet in the hours immediately following a day on which a sporting event, concert, or other major event, or a private event not open to the public, has occurred in the arena.”
Conveniently, the Intuit Dome seats 18,000. The Forum — also owned by Ballmer — only seats 17,500, and so cannot avail itself of the benefits of AB 3206. And while the nearby SoFi Stadium seats upwards of 70,000 for Rams games and such, it is not “a fully enclosed arena,” as required by AB 3206. That would make the Intuit Dome, quite literally, the only game in town for legal alcohol sales after 2 a.m.
The bill still needs to be signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom.
“Our office does not typically comment on pending legislation,” Izzy Gardon, a spokesman for the Newsom told KCRA California Capitol Correspondent Ashley Zavala. “The Governor will evaluate the Legislature’s proposal on its merits if it reaches his desk.”
The bill must likewise be approved by the Inglewood City Council but, given McKinnor’s involvement and the pro-development stance the city has taken in recent years, that seems likely.
Deadline has reached out to representatives for the Clippers for comment and will update this story when one is received.
The Dome made its debut last week with a show by Bruno Mars. The Clippers first preseason home game is October 14 against the Dallas Mavericks.
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