Sports Council Will Try to Attract Major Events to Los Angeles Area

The Los Angeles Sports Council, previously an all-volunteer arm of the Chamber of Commerce, has gone private in an effort to better attract events such as Super Bowls and all-star games to Los Angeles.

The newly incorporated agency was quickly funded with $125,000 in seed money and expects to bid for Super Bowls beginning in 1992, the Olympic trials in 1992 and the National Basketball Assn.’s All-Star Game in 1991.

Although the Sports Council has been successful in bringing the Olympic Team Sendoff, scheduled for this Labor Day weekend, to Los Angeles and has positioned the city as a candidate to get the World Cup soccer finals, the group has been unable to bid on many more events.

“Everyone thinks there’s this agency in Los Angeles that bids on events,” said David Simon, vice president of the Chamber of Commerce. “But in fact there’s no one to do it. Everybody knows the 1984 Olympics were in L.A., but do you know how many trials are being held here for the 1988 Games? None. Not because we got turned down. No one was there to bid on them.”

Professional sports in Los Angeles drew 14.5 million in attendance last year and produced an economic “impact” of $1 billion. The new agency thinks there is more to be had.