Gondola project from Union Station to Dodger Stadium gets first approval from LA Metro

• February 23, 2024

A proposed 1.2-mile aerial tramway that would transport baseball fans to Dodger Stadium via sky-high gondolas above Chinatown and other neighborhoods in northeast Los Angeles received a major boost on Thursday, Feb. 22.

The controversial project that has attracted considerable opposition, received the green light from the LA Metro board, which approved the project’s Final Environmental Impact Report and determined the project fits within the state’s regional transportation plan. The board voted 11-0-1, with Fourth District Supervisor and Metro board member Janice Hahn abstaining.

Approval of the environmental report is a first step toward making Los Angeles’ first gondola transit project a reality. However, the project also will need approvals from the Los Angeles City Council, Caltrans, the Federal Highway Administration. the California Transportation Commission and California State Parks, according to Metro staff.

In addition, the project developer will need to secure property acquisitions, land leases, air rights as well as state and federal sign-offs. If these are obtained, the project will come back to the LA Metro board for construction approval. No timeframe was set for what could be a drawn-out process.

“This doesn’t mean we are greenlighting it,”  said Los Angeles City Council President and Metro board member Paul Krikorian. “The city of L.A. process will be robust. Land use approvals are in the hands of the City of Los Angeles.”

Nonetheless, the Metro vote was historic. It was the first time Metro board voted to approve design and environmental documents for an unsolicited, non-Metro project. As lead agency under the California Environmental Quality Act, Metro is legally required to oversee the environmental process for all transit-related projects in Los Angeles County moving forward.

The Los Angeles Aerial Rapid Transit (LAART) project was submitted to LA Metro by L.A. Dodgers’ former owner Frank McCourt in April 2018 and was not asked for by Metro. McCourt owns 50% of the parking lots at Dodger Stadium which court records show he may use for mixed-use development, including residential and retail uses.

Aerial Rapid Transit Technologies (ARTT), a limited partnership that McCourt formed, was bankrolling the environmental review and preliminary design process. LA Metro will be reimbursed for staff time. Last year, McCourt Global gifted the project to a new entity, Zero Emission Technologies. ZET is the nonprofit owner responsible for building, financing and operating the gondola project.

An artist rendering of what a LA ART gondola would look like en route to Dodger Stadium from Los Angeles Union Station. The project has received pushback from Chinatown residents, city of LA and Homeboy Industries. Yet it received recent support from Coalition For Clean Air. However, LA City Council member Eunisses Hernandez on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2023, has introduced a motion asking for a traffic study before L.A. would take any action on the project. The project is up for a vote on Thursday, Feb. 22 at the LA Metro board.(courtesy of Los Angeles Aerial Rapid Transit )

The gondolas would take passengers over Chinatown, Solano Canyon, El Pueblo and Chavez Ravine on overhead buckets that accommodate 30-40 passengers. It is estimated to transport 5,000 passengers per hour on a sky-high, Disneyland-esque, 1.2 mile ride that would last seven minutes, according to Metro. The project would include three stations with 13-story towers on Alameda Street across from L.A.’s historic Union Station, at the Los Angeles State Historic Park, and atop Chavez Ravine at Dodger Stadium.

As part of the approval, the Metro board attached a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) with a list of conditions that must be satisfied before ZET can begin construction. These include: a plan to expand the existing Dodger Stadium Express which shuttles passengers to the stadium entrance while converting to zero-emission electric buses. A similar condition asks for a study of alternatives to the gondola project that would lessen traffic congestion during the 82 Dodger home games, including a new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) on Sunset Boulevard.

An unusual condition attached to the project requires setting aside 25% of stadium parking lots considered for development as affordable housing.

First District Supervisor Hilda Solis and Metro board member pushed back against comments by project opponents, who told this news organization that those conditions are nothing more than lip service. “It (CBA) provides guardrails. It enhances transparency and ensures the community their concerns must be addressed,” Solis said.

Metro officials ensured Solis that conditions imposed would have to be met by ZET or Metro would hold back on approval of land use and air space lease agreements, preventing construction and operation of the gondolas.

The Metro board took more than two hours of public comments, which were mixed between supporters and opponents.

Those in favor included: Dodger fans, who wanted an easier way to reach the stadium on game day and members of ZET and its parent nonprofit, Climate Resolve, as well as other residents who said the gondolas will take cars off the roads, reduce air pollution as well as greenhouse gases that cause global climate change.

As the co-organizer of the first CicLAvia that inspires people to ride a bike, Jonathan Parfrey, founder and executive director of Climate Resolve, said the project would remove cars and reduce pollution. But it also will have a warming effect on riding public transit. “I believe the aerial gondola will be similarly inspirational for people to take public transit,” he told the board.

“It will transform the transit experience for Angelenos,” said David Kim, a ZET board member and former California secretary of transportation.

Opponents included residents of Chinatown whose neighborhoods, and in some cases, houses and backyards, would forever be changed by overhead gondolas and towers holding cables powered with humming electric motors; conservation groups that disagree with a station at the Los Angeles State Historic Park and residents who view it as a gift to a billionaire developer and not a solution to traffic, congestion and air pollution.

“This is an overpriced theme park ride that rips into our Chinatown neighborhood, built on the backs of low-income communities,” said Phyllis Ling, organizer of Stop The Gondola, a coalition of hundreds of Chinatown and Solano Canyon residents and 29 member agencies.

Others from the communities directly affected said the project would cause more traffic woes, not less, as people park at stations, add noise pollution and blight from the presence of large towers. Tommy Ling, a Chinatown resident, said the project doesn’t have a funding plan.

The cost has risen from $125 million six years ago to between $385 million and $500 million in January 2024. Ling said the conditions don’t make the project much better.

Members of the business community, including the business group BizFed, supported the project, saying it would bring in more tourist activity to Chinatown and the region.

“We think it will help draw new guests to Olvera Street,” said Dominic Camacho, an owner of Camacho’s Cafe. He said Olvera street and El Pueblo area eateries have suffered lately and would benefit from the ridership.

Los Angeles City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, whose district includes the project corridor, asked Metro to turn it down, even with the added conditions.  “A project that needs more than 30 checks and balances to make it palatable, many of which are not enforceable by this body, is a project that can’t stand on its feet,” she said.

Related Articles

Related links

Aerial tramway to Dodger Stadium up for pivotal vote at LA Metro board
L.A. Councilmember Hernandez seeks to halt Dodger Stadium gondola project until traffic study is done
LA Dodgers, Metro propose building aerial trams to take fans directly from Union Station to Dodger Stadium
Opponents of aerial gondola to Dodger Stadium take over meeting in Chinatown
Proposed aerial gondola to Dodger Stadium wins court victory despite opposition

​ Orange County Register 

Orange County scores and player stats for Thursday, Feb. 22

• February 23, 2024

Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribe now

Scores and stats from Orange County games on Thursday, Feb. 22

Click here for details about sending your team’s scores and stats to the Register.

The deadline for submitting information is 10:45 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 p.m. Saturday.

THURSDAY’S SCORES

SOFTBALL

SOCAL’S FINEST TOURNAMENT

Norco 5, JSerra 3

REDLANDS EAST VALLEY TOURNAMENT

Rosary 3, Redlands East Valley 2

​ Orange County Register 

Dodgers pound Padres with two big innings in Cactus League opener

• February 23, 2024

THE GAME: The Dodgers scored eight times in the first inning and went on to beat their Seoul-mates, the San Diego Padres, 14-1, in the Cactus League opener for both teams on Thursday afternoon at Peoria Sports Complex.

PITCHING REPORT: Right-handers Gavin Stone and Ricky Vanasco each pitched a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout. … Left-hander Alex Vesia had a rough inning, allowing a solo home run to the first batter he faced (Jake Cronenworth), walking a batter and giving up a single before getting through the inning.

HITTING REPORT: The Dodgers sent 11 batters to the plate against three Padres pitchers in the first inning. Eight of the first nine reached base and scored runs before a second out was recorded. Teoscar Hernandez and Chris Owings each had two-run doubles and Andy Pages drove in two with a single. Pages was playing for the first time since surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder last June. Kevin Padlo had a two-run home run. … The Dodgers scored six more runs in the sixth inning. Jose Ramos and Kody Hoese had two-run doubles.

Related Articles

DEFENSE REPORT: Mookie Betts made his spring debut at second base.

UP NEXT: Padres (RHP Jhony Brito) vs. Dodgers (RHP Landon Knack) at Camelback Ranch, Friday, 12:05 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA, 570 AM

​ Orange County Register 

Bellator’s A.J. McKee willing to bang with PFL’s Clay Collard

• February 23, 2024

A.J. McKee loves a good challenge.

Facing an opponent with 35 professional MMA bouts and 18 pro boxing matches, the Bellator lightweight is willing to go toe to toe.

“I want to beat him at his game,” McKee said.

Antonio McKee understands why his son is looking forward to duking it out with former title challenger Clay Collard at Professional Fighters League’s superfight event, pitting the best from PFL and Bellator against each other Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

“I think that comes down to ego,” the father and lifelong coach said.

And while he’s leery of the idea, Antonio McKee is confident in his son’s skills – as long as A.J. can accept the consequences of trading and banging with a heavy hitter.

“I think we need to do it smart. We’re in a sport to hurt people,” Antonio McKee said. “So, you know, we’ll see where he’s at when he’s on his feet. I think I think no matter where he’s at, this is a great fight for him. I think he finishes him.”

Of course, it would be foolish for A.J. McKee to discard all the weaponry in his ever-growing toolbox against the 30-year-old Collard (24-11). In his nearly nine-year career, all with Bellator, McKee (21-1) has six victories by knockout and six via submission.

But since moving up to lightweight in October 2022, the former featherweight champion has won all three of his fights via unanimous decision.

Antonio McKee says it’s because his 5-foot-10 son is not a true 155-pounder.

“I think he just likes to eat whatever he wants. So he lacks a little discipline, he likes to eat whatever he wants,” he said. “But his skills, he can fight all the way up to 170 because he has the skill sets.”

A.J. McKee, 28, says the challenge is eating well and maintaining his weight. Other lightweights will routinely walk around north of 180 pounds while he is struggling to get past 170.

Once they’re in the cage, the Lakewood resident says he notices the added weight – versus fighting 145-pounders – if they wind up on top of him. That was illustrated in his last fight on Nov. 17 against Sidney Outlaw, who was able to take McKee down in each of the three rounds but did little to advance his position or attack.

“I was (ticked) off. I got laid on for 12 out of 15 minutes,” the former Long Beach Poly High wrestling star said.

Assessing his options from the bottom, McKee decided instead of “trying to get up for four of the five minutes,” he’d go on offense. Using his elbows and fists, McKee sliced and diced Outlaw to win every round in a gory victory in November in Chicago.

“That was honestly probably the bloodiest fight I’ve ever been in. I took two showers and blood was still coming out of my hair,” McKee said. “I was like, ‘This is gross.’ I could smell it, I could taste it. I was literally spitting his blood up after the fight.”

McKee is willing to see red again if it results in more green and gold. He says he can envision two paths to claiming another championship, only the road to ruling at 155 pounds is bumpy, to say the least after an unsteady November.

On Nov. 11, Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov was suspended six months after testing positive for a banned substance. Nine days later in an industry-shifting move, PFL acquired Bellator from Paramount Global. And on Nov. 24, PFL lightweight champion Olivier Aubin-Mercier retired after beating Collard via unanimous decision.

The uncertainty leaves McKee with a possible return back to featherweight, which would be doubly enticing if Patricio Pitbull were still the champion.

Related Articles

In April 2022, McKee suffered his first defeat and lost his featherweight title via unanimous decision to Pitbull, nearly nine months after winning $1 million and becoming the 145-pound champion with a first-round finish of Pitbull in the finals of the 16-fighter Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix on July 31, 2021, at The Forum.

“You know there’s a trilogy that’s … I’ve been feeling for that. I’m not going to go out of my way to push and pursue,” McKee said. “If it’s something to happen, you know, if … he’s reigning as one of the best 145-pounders in the world. So I wouldn’t mind going back down to 45 to prove once again that I am the best 145-pounder in the world.”

PFL vs. Bellator: Champions

When: Saturday

Where: Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

How to watch: prelims (9:30 a.m., ESPN+); main card (noon, PPV via ESPN+)

​ Orange County Register 

Newport Harbor wrestler Duda Rodrigues looks to repeat as champion at CIF State meet

• February 23, 2024

Newport Harbor wrestler Duda Rodrigues will try to repeat as a state champion this weekend at the CIF State Championships.

Rodrigues, a senior who has not lost a high school wrestling match, is seeded No. 1 at 155 pounds going into the state meet at Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield. The meet began Thursday and ends Saturday.

She won a state title at 150 pounds last year.

Several other Orange County girls wrestlers are candidates to win medals, including: Marlee Solomon of Newport Harbor at 100 pounds; Alicia Serratos of Santa Ana at 105 pounds; Sophia Cornish of Tesoro at 110 pounds; Kylee Golz of Trabuco Hills and Santa Ana’s Annabelle Serratos at 115 pounds; Lilyana Balderas of Anaheim at 125 pounds; Samantha Arce of Mater Dei and Berlyn Davis of San Clemente at 145 pounds; Angela Salazar of Santa Ana at 170 pounds and Lorelei Hartman of Santa Ana at 235 pounds.

Marina won the girls state title the past two years but no Vikings wrestlers advanced to this year’s state meet.

The top eight finishers in each boys weight category and in each girls weight category are awarded medals.

El Dorado senior Isaiah Quintero won a state championship as a sophomore in 2022 at 106 pounds. Quintero is wrestling at 120 pounds this year. He is seeded third in that weight class for the state meet.

Fountain Valley has a strong contingent of boys wrestlers at the state meet, including Hunter Jauregui at 106 pounds, Anthony Lucio at 126 pounds, Hunter Windrath at 138 pounds, Khale McDonnell at 190 pounds, and Ryland Whitworthat 215 pounds.

Corona del Mar has medals contenders in Antonio Aramburu at 157 pounds, Zion Hernandez at 175 pounds and Eugenio Franco at 190 pounds.

Calvary Chapel’s Max McWilliams also is a medal contender at 175.

Buchanan of Clovis will be going for an eighth straight team championship. Gilroy, Poway and the Trinity League’s St. John Bosco could be Buchanan’s top challengers for the state title.

Related Articles

​ Orange County Register 

With Mookie Betts in the infield, Dodgers outfield has ‘a lot of good moving pieces’

• February 23, 2024

GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Dodgers’ best outfielder didn’t even bring an outfielder’s glove or cleats to spring training with him this year. Mookie Betts is all-in on being a second baseman now.

“So if we’re going out there, it’s with an infield glove and infield cleats,” Betts said after playing second base in the Cactus League opener on Thursday.

“Yeah, I’m all in. You have to dive all the way in to be the best you can be.”

Without Betts in the mix – unless something forces them to change direction – the Dodgers might resort to a familiar, fungible approach to making their outfield the best it can be. Manager Dave Roberts said of the group, there are “a lot of good moving pieces” from which to choose.

The most likely alignments will have Jason Heyward in right field, James Outman in center field and free-agent signee Teoscar Hernandez in left field against right-handed pitching. Against lefties, Hernandez will slide over to right with Chris Taylor in left and Manuel Margot occasionally spelling Outman in center.

“I think that’s fair,” Roberts said, at the same time refusing to be wedded to any alignment. “There’s gonna be days James is gonna play against lefties. And there’s gonna be some days where Max (Muncy) is gonna have some days off, which is gonna be against a left-handed pitcher (allowing Taylor to play third).

“But we expect Teoscar to take down a lot of the at-bats. We expect James to. We expect J-Hey to play against right-handed pitching. So you’re looking at Manny, he’s best equipped to handle left-handed pitching. And CT is a guy who can play the infield, the outfield, handles both and has shown that throughout his career. … I can’t say right now what it’s gonna be.”

Only Heyward in that group is clearly a platoon player. He never started against a left-hander last season and had just 26 at-bats all season against left-handed pitching.

But Outman struggled against left-handers during his rookie season. Just one of his 23 home runs came off a lefty and he had a .665 OPS against them.

“I still believe he needs days off so if he’s going to get a day off, it’ll be against left-handed pitching,” Roberts said of Outman, who made significant strides defensively as the 2023 season played out.

“His defense, the last four months of the season was very good. So playing a premium defensive position, I want him out there. And also, he’s shown he can take good at-bats against left-handed pitching so it’s definitely not a platoon situation. It’s more of a how-much-can-I-keep-Manny-involved situation.”

Margot is considered an exceptional defender, capable of playing any of the three outfield spots. But he has not hit well against left-handed pitching over his career – a .244 average and .664 OPS compared to .281 and .760 against right-handers.

LOOKING LIVE

Right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto threw two simulated innings of live batting practice on Thursday. It was Yamamoto’s second session throwing to hitters. His next outing is expected to be in a Cactus League game.

“I’ve been feeling good. I’m just pretending this is a real game,” he said through his interpreter.

“I’m looking forward to throwing in the Cactus League. But I’m taking this seriously and getting myself ready for the regular season.”

Yamamoto’s MLB debut could come soon. Roberts said the Japanese right-hander is “a safe bet” to pitch one of the Dodgers’ two regular-season games in Seoul against the San Diego Padres.

“I don’t think that’s official yet,” Yamamoto said. “But if I throw during that series it would be such an honor and I will do my best to contribute to winning the game.”

PITCHING PROSPECTS

Two of the Dodgers’ top pitching prospects – River Ryan and Nick Frasso – will not be pitching this spring.

Frasso underwent surgery to repair the labrum in his pitching shoulder in November. He said he is still a month away from starting a throwing program. But the 25-year-old right-hander is optimistic he will be able to pitch in games before the end of this season.

Related Articles

Ryan, meanwhile, finished last season with shoulder fatigue after pitching a career-high 104⅓ innings between Double-A and Triple-A last season. Ryan will be handled cautiously this spring and start his season late.

The situation is very similar to Bobby Miller a year ago. He also finished the previous year with shoulder discomfort and didn’t start his season in Triple-A until the end of April. By the end of May, he had made his big-league debut and was in the Dodgers’ starting rotation.

ALSO

Roberts said he expects Shohei Ohtani to play in a Cactus League game for the first time this spring “sometime next week.” …

Right-hander Tyler Glasnow is scheduled to make his spring debut for the Dodgers on Saturday against the Angels.

​ Orange County Register 

Santa Anita horse racing consensus picks for Friday, February 23, 2024

• February 23, 2024

The consensus box of Santa Anita horse racing picks comes from handicappers Bob Mieszerski, Terry Turrell, Eddie Wilson and Kevin Modesti. Here are the picks for thoroughbred races on Friday, February 23, 2024.

Trouble viewing on mobile device? See consensus picks

Enjoy the consensus horse racing picks online? Subscribe

Related Articles

​ Orange County Register 

LA County sues Grubhub, alleging ‘false and deceptive’ practices

• February 23, 2024

Los Angeles County has filed a lawsuit against Grubhub alleging false and deceptive advertising, the latest in a string of lawsuits that say the food delivery app’s lack of transparency is hurting customers and its drivers.

The action, filed Wednesday, Feb. 21 in Los Angeles Superior Court, accuses GrubHub of luring customers with bait-and-switch tactics that promise free or flat pricing while instead charging fees at checkout.

Other complaints allege GrubHub’s tactics sometimes mean its services exceed the cost of the food being ordered.

An example the county cited included a turkey-on-rye sandwich ordered from Langer’s deli in Los Angeles. The subtotal for the sandwich was $17.95, but when fees are added, such as a $2.99 delivery charge, “other fees” of $3.33, tax of $2.31 and a $1 driver tip, the order total is nearly $10 higher at $27.58.

Grubhub disputes the lawsuit’s allegations, although the company said it would provide additional clarity on some issues cited in the lawsuit.

LA County’s complaint also contends the company’s “driver benefits fee” — implemented in December 2020 to fund certain wage and benefit guarantees to drivers as required under Proposition 22 — has been misrepresented to customers.

According to the complaint, Grubhub tells consumers the fee goes toward healthcare benefits for all of its drivers, when it actually provides only a partial subsidy for health coverage that most drivers don’t qualify for. The company has also suggested the fee eliminates the need to tip drivers.

In a statement issued Thursday, Grubhub said it no longer uses “for free” when describing its online delivery process in new marketing materials.

“Grubhub repeatedly discloses all fees prior to purchase,” the company said. “In addition, the terms of use make clear that fees may apply to orders placed on Grubhub.”

The company also disputes the claim that it offers a flat, upfront price for deliveries while tacking on various fees at checkout. All charges are disclosed prior to placing an order, the company said. But going forward, Grubhub plans to add a link to additional fee disclosures on its menus for Los Angeles restaurants.

GrubHub also defended the restaurant search results on its apps and websites, saying it takes into account a variety of factors, including location, restaurant category and a consumer’s past ordering behavior, in determining how options appear in search.

The company, which claims to have more than 365,000 restaurant partners in 4,000 U.S. cities, has been hit with several lawsuits in recent years all alleging similar deceptive practices.

In December 2022 the company was ordered to pay a $3.5 million settlement after the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit over the food delivery service’s alleged deceptive practices.

GrubHub was hit that same year with an investors’ lawsuit, claiming the third-party delivery provider misled investors about its performance. The company agreed to pay $42 million to settle a proposed class-action lawsuit.

In regard to the driver benefits fee, Grubhub said details on that are clearly disclosed on a separate publicly available resource page.

“Although we do not believe the language is in any way misleading, going forward, Grubhub will update the language diners see on the checkout page to further clarify the benefits drivers receive from Proposition 22,” the company said.

LA County Counsel Dawyn R. Harrison said the county’s lawsuit seeks to hold Grubhub accountable “for their unfair and deceptive business practices that deceive and overcharge consumers, exploit drivers and unfairly short-change restaurants on order refunds.”

LA County says the company’s misconduct has been mounting for years and was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, when demand for food deliveries skyrocketed.

The lawsuit says that from 2019 to 2023 Grubhub processed millions of orders for meal deliveries in LA County alone with revenue hitting $1.8 billion in in 2020, a 39% increase over 2019. Grubhub was then acquired by Just Eat Takeaway, a Dutch multinational firm in 2021.

By contrast, nearly a third of California’s restaurants had permanently closed as a result of the pandemic, and two-thirds of the Grubhub’s drivers had at least temporarily lost their jobs, the complaint said.

“Grubhub has built this vast marketplace through practices that mislead consumers and restaurants and put the squeeze on the company’s delivery drivers,” the suit alleges.

The lawsuit seeks civil penalties of up to $2,500 for each violation of the Unfair Competition Law against a senior citizen or disabled person.

​ Orange County Register