Pat Haden urges USC supporters to attend meeting

USC Athletic Director Pat Haden is calling on USC fans to support the school in its bid to assume operational responsibility of the Coliseum and Sports Arena.

This month, The Times reported that supporters of the California Science Center and the African American Museum said the plan would slash attendance and divert millions of dollars in parking receipts to USC. A vote by the California Science Center board is scheduled for Tuesday at the Science Center.

This week, Marvin Holen, a trustee for the Science Center’s fundraising foundation, said state negotiators had failed to come up with better terms for the taxpayer-owned museum since reopening talks with the university.

“It’s a robbery,” Holen told The Times. “If anyone had any sense, they’d dial 911.”

On Friday, in a letter to Trojan fans that was posted on the school’s website, Haden wrote, “We believe we have reached a reasonable deal that benefits all parties involved. Despite what you may have read in the LA Times or hear from misinformed members of the public, this deal does not in any way hurt the museums in Exposition Park and in fact helps solve major financial problems looming over the Science Center should the deal not be approved.”

Haden urged USC supporters to attend and speak at the meeting.

“I know we’ve been at this for quite some time, but we really believe that this is the final home stretch,” he wrote. “We’re on the 5 yard line and we need your help in getting us over the goal line.”

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