Coliseum Commission

The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Commission on Wednesday spent nearly all of its monthly meeting behind closed doors, continuing a pattern of secrecy that critics say runs afoul of laws requiring government transparency. The commission's agenda suggested that its main business was the panel's ongoing efforts to surrender control of the taxpayer-owned stadium to USC. Part of the commission's 2 1/2 hours in closed session was devoted to the USC deal, according to a source familiar with the discussion.

The No. 9 rating of the Coliseum Commission in Steve Harvey's first Bottom 10 for the pros was far too generous. Under the misdirected leadership of Alexander Haagan, they have attained an undisputed place at the top of the all-time bottom. Surely, they are a solid No. 1. WALLACE BEARDSELL Pacific Palisades

Coliseum games Re " Coliseum probe brings three arrests ," March 23, and " Coliseum case widens; six charged ," March 24 What explains the fact that a newspaper usually is the originating source that produces an investigation into financial irregularities or other illegal activity? Why is it not a city, county or state agency - which, theoretically, employ people whose job it is to prevent or uncover precisely this type of wrongdoing? If our government agencies are so incompetent, why do we bother paying for multiple layers of bureaucracy?

The Coliseum Commission is considering plans to retain the running track, while trying to placate USC and the Raiders, major tenants of the Coliseum who are seeking more and better seating for football. "The commission is looking into alternative proposals for putting in additional seats that would be retractable at both ends and both sides of the stadium," Coliseum General Manager Jim Hardy said Wednesday.

Mayor Tom Bradley is putting labor leader Bill Robertson, the man who negotiated the deal bringing the Raiders to Los Angeles from Oakland a decade ago, back on the Los Angeles Coliseum Commission as part of "a final push to keep the Raiders" playing in the city, Deputy Mayor Mark Fabiani announced Wednesday. Robertson, executive secretary-treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation, AFL-CIO, declined to comment.

Al Davis is the No. 1 Raider and he has made out like a bandit. By the time the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Commission has exhausted its last legal appeal against Davis, the Oakland-Los Angeles-Irwindale Raiders may be playing at Palm Springs in a domed stadium with real waterfalls and artificial yuccas. Concessions will be by Tiffany & Co. Fans will trade country club memberships for season tickets. For half-time entertainment, Davis will stage a U.S.-Soviet drop kicking competition.

The Los Angeles Raiders have told negotiators for the Coliseum Commission that the team will not resume the suspended construction of 60 luxury boxes on the north rim of the stadium unless the commission agrees first to undertake an $8-million to $15-million reconfiguration of the Coliseum's regular seating at the same time, it was learned Thursday.

In 1958, as he was facing a bitter and costly--and close--referendum election that would have voided the city ordinance giving him Chavez Ravine and the right to build Dodger Stadium, a reporter asked the Dodger owner why he didn't just let the city build him the ballpark and lease it to him for a song. "Because," said Walter O'Malley, "who has a politician for a landlord is homeless."

A stadium sellout Re "Tracing Coliseum's fiscal decay," Dec. 31, 2011 If Californians ever needed further evidence that politicians should never be entrusted with money or assets, the stories about the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Commission are it. Members of the commission, two-thirds of whom are already on the public payroll, had trouble making just one meeting a month. It follows that they failed to notice business practices that let employees dig freely into the Coliseum cookie jar, while commissioners were feted with nice dinners and free tickets.

The Raiders have halted construction of 60 luxury boxes at the Coliseum because of a dispute over other improvements at the stadium. Alexander Haagen, the Coliseum Commission's new president, has scheduled a special meeting today in an attempt to resolve the stalemate so that the suites can be ready for the 1987 football season.