[Spiny_Norman]

Jackie Robinson Stadium (a beautiful stadium) is located on property that is owned by the US government, specifically the US Department of Veterans Affairs. It was given to the US in 1888 for the benefit of war veterans. Over the years, the VA has been so deficient in using the property for its stated purpose that veteran's groups have sued the VA to try to force them to comply. The focus right now is getting the VA to build permanent housing for veterans there to help some of the thousands of homeless vets in the LA area.

Among the current leaseholders on the VA grounds are an oil company, a private school which uses 22 acres for its athletic facilities and UCLA for its baseball stadium. The judge has ruled that these leaseholders do not provide required services or benefits for veterans. But he is allowing the VA and the leaseholders to negotiate terms that might meet with his approval. For example, he has said that the oil leases can stay if they give 51% of the revenue to the VA.

UCLA should have seen this coming for years. Their lease was first challenged over 10 years ago. Maybe they thought they could skate through by giving veterans free admission and concessions at the games (they actually argued this in court).

I hope UCLA will ultimately work out something to keep Jackie Robinson Field in business. But they are going to have to offer a lot to make it work.

[Spiny_Norman]

Jackie Robinson Stadium (a beautiful stadium) is located on property that is owned by the US government, specifically the US Department of Veterans Affairs. It was given to the US in 1888 for the benefit of war veterans. Over the years, the VA has been so deficient in using the property for its stated purpose that veteran's groups have sued the VA to try to force them to comply. The focus right now is getting the VA to build permanent housing for veterans there to help some of the thousands of homeless vets in the LA area.

Among the current leaseholders on the VA grounds are an oil company, a private school which uses 22 acres for its athletic facilities and UCLA for its baseball stadium. The judge has ruled that these leaseholders do not provide required services or benefits for veterans. But he is allowing the VA and the leaseholders to negotiate terms that might meet with his approval. For example, he has said that the oil leases can stay if they give 51% of the revenue to the VA.

UCLA should have seen this coming for years. Their lease was first challenged over 10 years ago. Maybe they thought they could skate through by giving veterans free admission and concessions at the games (they actually argued this in court).

I hope UCLA will ultimately work out something to keep Jackie Robinson Field in business. But they are going to have to offer a lot to make it work.