Okay, so this may not be Ventura County related, not that most of my blog entries have tended that way anyhow, despite my intentions, but I couldn’t ignore this comment from a discussion on a transit center proposed as part of a refurbishment of Dodger Stadium announced today.
As some astute readers might know, or those who know the me behind the scenes, I’m a diehard Dodgers fan. I’m also a fan of things that go “choo-choo,” or at least, “clackety-clackety” (or whatever sound train wheels make). When it comes to actually getting to a Dodgers game there’s perhaps nothing more enticing than the opportunity to indulge some siderodromophilia.
Those who are familiar with Dodger Stadium know it is beyond a pain in the ass to drive there (insider tip: park your car off Sunset early, grab a beer and a game of Elvis Pinball at the Shortstop, then walk up the hill)
Commenter Charles hits the nail on the head though.
“This whole plan is about increasing their revenues. Parking lot fee revenue is ** chump change ** compared to the potential retail revenue they will realize with this project.
I think it is the responsibility of the City of LA to insist the Dodgers & Co. install a mass transit station … I’d ride a mass transit line that drops me off right behind center field….. where I could spend money at these beautiful new shops and restaurants.”
Charles isn’t alone. I would readily choose this option to get to a game, and I imagine many fans would, as well as casual Angelenos and Southern Californians who just want a nice day out. If Frank and Jamie McCourt genuinely want to endear themselves to the Greater Los Angeles Community, they could volunteer a little scratch up front for a lot of dough down the line.
That doesn’t exactly help Venturans, although the possibility to get to Dodgers games easily would hopefully mean renewed attention to expanding connections from Ventura County to L.A.’s transportation system. Even so, think of the revenue potential for Los Angeles if Ventura County residents drive to Warner Center and hop on the Orange Line to connect to the game, or drop their cars off at Universal City Walk to get to a red line subway leading to or near Dodger Stadium. Yes, it’s hard work and massive infrastructure development required, but a little ingenuity, sacrifice and the aforementioned work could go a long, long way.
Fir & Main 