The operators of the Forum have filed suit against the city of Inglewood to obtain records leading up to the June 15 announcement of the exclusive negotiating agreement between the city and the Clippers to build an arena in the community.
MSG Forum LLC’s Los Angeles Superior Court complaint asks for a court order directing the city to produce the records under the state Constitution and the California Public Records Act.
The suit states that the city held a meeting June 15 with the developer, Murphy’s Bowl LLC, in which the parties sought to approve an agreement to build the arena to lure the Clippers from Staples Center. The city held a press conference announcing the agreement afterward, the suit states.
MSG Forum informed the city the same day that the special meeting violated the state’s open-meeting law by not giving the required notice, the suit states. The plaintiffs also told city officials that the negotiating agreement violated state environmental laws and was inconsistent with the city’s general plan and zoning, the suit states.
In response to the alleged open-meeting law violation, the city held another meeting on the negotiating agreement on July 21 in which an overflow crowed attended, with many expressing their opposition to the arena plan, the suit states.
The plaintiffs submitted requests for documents leading up to the June 15 announcement of the negotiating agreement, but in response the city “refused to produce a single document public record” dated prior to that date, the suit states.
Instead, the city turned over five documents that post-dated the announcement, the suit alleges.
A timeline published by the mayor stated that negotiations regarding the arena began in January, according to the lawsuit.
