An exclusive, members-only club in the Intuit Dome, the Los Angeles Clippers’ newly opened arena, will soon serve alcohol until 4 a.m. while the rest of California will continue to hear “last call” two hours earlier.
Assembly Bill 3206, which created the carve-out for the Inglewood venue, was signed into law Sunday by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Critics argued the bill could lead to an increase in drunken driving near the $2 billion arena, while supporters, including the city of Inglewood, say it benefits the local economy and creates a potential framework “to tailor alcohol sales regulations to the unique circumstances and preferences of their jurisdictions.”
Newsom describes it as a pilot program that will provide a “narrow exemption” in a “specific setting,” according to a letter to the Assembly.
CHP will monitor DUIs
“While this bill creates a very limited pilot that sunsets on January 1, 2030, I remain cognizant of the potential risks to public safety posed by extending service hours for alcoholic beverage service, which could lead to an an increase in driving under the influence-related crashes and fatalities,” Newsom wrote.
Newsom has directed the California Highway Patrol, in partnership with local law enforcement, to track DUI incidents near the arena and to report back to the Legislature as part of its evaluation of “any further proposals to extend alcohol service hours.”
Connie Ballmer, the wife of Clippers’ owner Steve Ballmer, has been a strong supporter of Newsom and donated $1 million to a committee opposing efforts to recall the governor in 2021, according to the secretary of state’s website.
Though neither Newsom, nor the bill’s text, mentions the Intuit Dome by name, the law is limited to a “a fully enclosed arena with a seating capacity of at least 18,000 seats located in the City of the Inglewood,” a description that matches only one venue. The alcohol sales must be confined to an area “no larger than 2,500 square feet,…
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