Not Everyone Thinks a Dodger/NFL Stadium Is Such a Good Idea

Down with Mike Downey! I deeply resent his reference to Mayor Richard Riordan as “our do-little Mayor Dick Riordan.”

I hope our mayor is blessed with the good sense and wisdom necessary to prevent even the consideration of a football stadium in Elysian Park.

Mike Downey is quite wrong about O’Malley too. Peter O’Malley is in the business of making money as was his father before him.

Dodger Stadium has been an intruder in our community for more than 30 years. The traffic, noise, air pollution and litter degraded the quality of life in the Echo Park/Elysian Park community. Stadium Way and Academy Road were built by tax dollars as access roads to the stadium, cutting through the heart of beautiful downtown Elysian Park. What was once a bucolic, verdant, open space has been destroyed.

I have lived in my home for more than 60 years. I do not want another stadium for a neighbor and I hope our mayor will veto any such proposal.

GENEVA WILLIAMS

Los Angeles

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With reference to the Sept. 9 report, “O’Malley Willing to Build Fan-Friendly NFL Stadium,” you neglected to tell the public that there is a very user-friendly public park adjacent to Dodger Stadium. Saturday and Sunday afternoon games would impede seriously, in fact, disastrously, the people’s access to their public park. Riordan, O’Malley, Downey, et al, should visit the park by surface roads to learn how, finally, Elysian Park has come into its own. It is used by our youth, our seniors, our families with their toddlers. It is used fully and properly. Don’t encroach!

Mike Downey talks of “Peter O’Malley’s little palm-treed lot.” You should report to the public how much degradation of the hillsides will be necessary and how many tons of natural hillside will be trucked away.

If it’s heroes you want, O’Malley should join with Ambassador Annenberg and help USC. Wouldn’t it be heroic to put our Coliseum back into shape? That’s the logical place for future football teams.

R.M. HAYNES

Los Angeles

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Mr. Downey, take this stadium and put it in your own neighborhood.

I am a resident of Echo Park and we are in desperate need of a baseball diamond. If Mr. O’Malley has the land to build a state-of-the-art stadium, why can’t he find room for a baseball diamond? Is it in his interest to build them only in the Dominican Republic?

DAVID M. HIOVICH

Los Angeles

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Paul Tagliabue is in Los Angeles this week to discuss returning NFL football to the city. He should first ask the people of L.A. if they want another team.

L.A. has more options for leisure time than any other city. We certainly don’t need to have an NFL team to make us feel worthwhile. Leave that for the lesser cities.

We don’t need them. They need us. Los Angeles politicians should keep that fact in mind when negotiating with teams wanting to move here.

ROBERT PAUL COLE

Paramount