Interesting article on USC and The Coliseum sent to Alumni

Dear Fellow Trojan:

We thought you might be interested in reading this article by the Honorable Mark Ridley-Thomas PhD '89, Second District Los Angeles County Supervisor, on the future of the management of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Scroll down to read the full text of the article or click here to read it online.

Sincerely,

The USC Alumni Association

****

No More Time-Outs for the Coliseum Commission

Mark Ridley-Thomas

Supervisor for the Second District in Los Angeles County





The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum's future now hangs in a kind of sudden-death overtime.



The nine-member Coliseum Commission is in breach of its contract with the University of Southern California. Despite struggling mightily to do so, the commission can't find a way to pay for more than $60 million of facility repairs and upgrades it owes to USC.



That puts USC in the driver's seat, with two options: the university can terminate its lease with the Coliseum Commission or finance the millions in stadium improvements at a 6-percent interest rate.



The Coliseum Commission can't afford either outcome.



If USC terminates its lease, the Coliseum would lose most of its revenue and attendance in a single stroke. Even if USC were to loan the Commission money for the improvements, the stadium does not bring in enough to make such large payments.



The Commission has missed three deadlines since 2010 to come up with a plan to honor the USC contract, and USC has generously given the Coliseum Commission another grace period.



The commission has used all of its time-outs.



With no better option on the table, the majority of Coliseum Commission members appear ready to turn over day-to-day management of the facility to USC.



In exchange for management control, USC will have to invest heavily in improving the facility. USC has offered to do so before. As recently as 2008, the university had said it would invest $100 million in the Coliseum.



The Coliseum at that time rejected USC's offer, mistakenly thinking it could pay for stadium improvements by selling naming rights or landing an NFL team.



Now, a deal with USC is the only option on the table that can restore the Coliseum to a condition worthy of its standing as the home of two Olympics, a National Historic Place and, most important, a memorial to soldiers who fought for our nation.



USC has also stated it will never again compromise the Coliseum's dignity by staging a "rave" like 2010's Electric Daisy Carnival, which came at a price of dozens of arrests, hundreds of medical emergencies and the death of a teenager.



Some critics portray USC as an exclusive institution for the privileged that would "privatize" the Coliseum at the expense of the neighboring community.



As a Coliseum Commissioner who has also represented USC's neighborhoods for 20 years, as a City Councilman, State legislator and now County Supervisor, I find such stereotyping of USC to be as distorted and harmful as the stereotypes that some perpetuate about South Los Angeles.



USC has not given up on its neighborhood, even when others, including the NFL, have done so. Rather, it has invested millions into the neighborhood, doing more than any other institution to beautify and enhance its landscape. The university has been a springboard for the advancement of people of color, many from the surrounding area. In fact, the composition of USC's administration, faculty and student body has long been more diverse than the Coliseum's staff.



While vaguely invoking "the community" to oppose USC's involvement, the same opponents have presented no specific alternative. They concoct a problem while offering no solutions.



Both the immediate community and Los Angeles as a whole deserve a world-class venue. USC is the only institution showing the interest and ability to make that happen.



A new lease with USC will be an important step forward, but true reform requires more be done.

More than the new facilities management that USC would provide, the Coliseum needs an entirely new ownership and management model.



The Coliseum Commission is now structurally incapable of fulfilling its mission. The nine-member commission is composed of three representatives each from the city, county and state.



Equal representation may have been the intention, but the result has been the indecision and excessive compromise endemic to management by committee. The tripartite structure too often pits competing interests against common ones.



One prospect worth examining would be to see if any of the current government partners -- the city, county or state -- can find a way to solely administer the Coliseum. Los Angeles County has a strong track record in managing the Hollywood Bowl and the County museums, including the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park. The county might very well have the experience and financial stability to take custody of the Coliseum.



Earlier this year I asked the County Counsel of Los Angeles for guidance on the legal mechanism for dissolving the Coliseum Commission. The most straightforward way to disband the commission would be a mutual agreement by the city, county and state.



Of the three parties, the state has previously expressed interest in shedding its obligations to the Coliseum and Exposition Park and would thus not likely want to increase its stake in the Coliseum. The city would not likely want to add the expense of the Coliseum to its current shaky balance sheet.



The county may be the only governmental partner solvent or sturdy enough to take the reins of the Coliseum. I'm willing to consider other options, as well. But I have no doubt the Coliseum Commission is no longer able to handle today's demands for overseeing a major sports venue. The commission needs to vote itself out of existence.



The best the Coliseum Commission can now do for the public is to let go.



Los Angeles County Supevisor Mark Ridley-Thomas represents the Second District, which includes the Coliseum, USC and Exposition Park.

Another Trojan Passes - Nick Kaschik

Hey Jeff and Chuck,

Some sad Trojan news, Nick Kaschik, Class of 2002, passed away.

Maybe you could post something for the others?

http://www.respectance.com/Nick.Kaschik/

Thanks,

Paul Davidson
Director of Operations
University of Southern California
Men's and Women's Swimming & Diving
Cell: 805-506-5181
Office: 213-740-8452
Fax: 213-740-6177

Post from Ken Krueger on JK McKay interview

Have you seen this interview of JK McKay? Great.

I hope to see you at Alumni Relays---starts at 9. Swimmers lunch Friday before at El Cholos Downtown at 11:30-1+.

Ken

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/16435284

Annual Swim Banquet (early this year) Sept 10 th.

University of Southern California Department of Intercollegiate Athletics

And the Swimming and Diving Teams

S

Invite you to join them in celebrating the

2010-11 season honoring their seniors.

Saturday, September 10^th 2011

Galen Center-Hall of Fame

11:30 a.m. Brunch

Please enter through the south doors.

Parking will be available for $8 at Gate 3 on Figueroa and McCarthy Way

Please RSVP by September 5^th with enclosed card.

For information email kwallace@usc.edu or call

213-740-3844

Upcoming Events - Mark Your Calendars - Detailed Info forthcoming

Friday September 9: Next Trojan Swimmers Lunch with Coaches at El Chollo's Downtown LA Restaurant on Flower just north of 11th Street (Park in lot just south of restaurant which is on the west side of Flower Street) beginning at 11:30 am.

Saturday September 10:  Alumni Relays (early this year) beginning at 9 am..

September 10:   Annual Swim Awards Banquet (lunch this time not dinner) at Galen Center (Parents Weekend) beginning at 11:30 am

September 10:  4:30 pm kickoff, USC vs. UTAH football game at Coliseum.

Flyers to be published when received in a week or so.

In Roger "Chopper" Lyon's Memory

From: Clay Haswell <clayhaswell@gmail.com>

Date: Tuesday, July 12, 2011, 9:05 AM

Ken:

Were you able to pass this on to SC colleagues? It is a good cause. But I am short on email addresses.

Thanks,

Clay

Dorm to honor Roger "Chopper" Lyon


Several months before his tragic death, Chopper Lyon flew to Guatemala to
assist a non-profit group trying to support education and biodiversity in
Guatemala at the site some of the oldest Mayan temples yet found. The site
is a project of the Maya Archaeology Initiative, a non-profit whose website
can be found at mayaarchaeology.org.


For his contributions as an advisor to MAI, the group would like to build a
dormitory for international students in his honor. The Roger "Chopper" Lyon
dormitory would be on the site of the Cival ruins, which date to at least
the 8th century B.C, in an area of virgin rainforest that is home to one of
the largest remaining populations of jaguars in Central America. Chopper had
been working to build partnerships with environmental groups and donors to
protect this endangered habitat.


The dormitory will host students from all over the world who visit Cival
each summer to learn about archaeology and study the rainforest habitat. It
will have solar energy and purified water, and will be constructed using
local materials at a cost of less than $10,000. The camp is administered by
Dr. Francisco Estrada-Belli, a professor at Boston University and one of the
world's preeminent archaeologists.


To raise money for the dorm, we are reaching out to Chopper's friends and
former swimming teammates. To make a contribution, visit idigmaya.org to use
a credit card or PayPal, or send a check to this address:


Maya Archaeology Initiative
3118 Hambletonian Lane
Walnut Creek, CA 94598

  All donations are tax deductible. Former SC swimmer Bill Passey has
started the ball rolling with a generous       donation. This is a great and
unique way to remember a guy who was a big part of so many lives.Please pass
this message on to anyone who might be interested.


Many thanks.

Next Trojan Swimmer Lunch on Friday, September 9, 2011

Mark your calendar for Friday, September 9 for the next Trojan Swimmers lunch and Saturday, September 10 for Alumni Swim Relays followed by the USC vs. Utah football game.  Coach Dave Salo is expected to attend the lunch along with out of towner swimmers who are planning to attend either the Alumni Relays and/or the football game.  The lunch location most likely will be at the new El Cholo Restaurant in downtown LA.

May 12, 2011 Lunch at the new El Cholo Restaurant on Flower at 11th Street in downtown LA

Switching locations, the May lunch was held at EL Cholo's downtown LA location.  Many could not attend due to Student Athletes Graduation ceremonies at SC also scheduled for May 12.  There were also six RSVP cancellations but we also picked up some new faces as shown below (not pictured below is Ken Krueger who used his iPhone):

Russ Kidder walked a full 2 blocks to the restaurant from his downtown residence, Nice:

Bill Henry (our first non swimmer baseball guest):

 Chuck Milam:

Greg Hargrave:

Now that tax season is over Joe Hohm:

Paul Davidson, Director of Operations for Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving:

Peter Daland's 90th Birthday Party at Galen Center on April 17 2011

LAAC and Trojan Swimmers through the years.   Click on ball and then click on arrow and wait a couple of seconds  for (27 minutes) video to start:

 

Sunday, April 17, 2011- video of USC Marching Band:

Tusk:

Peter and Family Remarks:

Peter Remarks:

The following is a video consisting of individual pictures (and some music) similar to the first video in this section, from the 1960's, showing Peter's LA Athletic Club male and female swimmers, early 1960's USC swimmers, some of Peter and his family, all of which were displayed at the birthday activities on April 16 and 17 (all pics supplied by Ingrid Daland).

Mostly 1970's and 1980's (supplied by USC Athletic Department):

48 minutes of individual best wishes:

Peter Daland turns 90

This is the first of articles, videos and pictures to be posted in the swimmers blog on Peter's 90th birthday:

This column was sent to you by: Chuck
 
--------------------
For former USC coach Peter Daland, about to turn 90, life is going swimmingly 
--------------------
 
A giant in his sport, Daland coached USC to nine NCAA swimming titles and also coached two U.S. Olympic teams. And he's still busy, scouting for USA Swimming and writing a history of Olympic swimming.
 
Jerry Crowe
 
April 10 2011, 5:55 PM PDT
 
It started with a stopwatch. 
 
The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/sports/college/usc/la-sp-crowe-20110411,0,1939642.column 
 
Visit latimes.com at http://www.latimes.com