ABSTRACT
In 1993 Richard Riordan, a Republican, was elected mayor after three decades of leadership by Democratic mayors. He promised voters that as a successful businessman he was “tough enough” to handle Los Angeles’ violence and its other problems. Mr. Riordan personally financed his election campaign (he did not accept donations) and defeated city council member Michael Woo, in a city where a majority of the voters were nonwhite. Historians will debate Mr. Riordan’s legacy, which included the hiring of 3,000 additional police officers and other changes designed to reduce crime, reduce levels of violence, and produce a new image for the city. Few would have imagined that when he asked a staff member to think about ways to improve the fate of downtown Los Angeles’ $500 million convention center, an innovative public-private partnership for an arena and entertainment would both create a new brand and help revitalize downtown Los Angeles. In the years after the opening of L.A. LIVE, several other cities tried to create their versions of entertainment districts in their downtown areas, copying the design elements of L.A. LIVE.
