L.A. to Get U.S. Skate in 2002

The Staples Center will host of the 2002 U.S. Figure Skating championships, the first major sporting event to be scheduled at the $350-million arena in downtown Los Angeles.

Securing the U.S. championships, which will determine the delegation that will represent the U.S. at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, is a significant coup for the Staples Center. The building, which will house the Kings, Lakers and Clippers, is scheduled to open for events in October 1999.

Sources said Sunday the board of directors of the U.S. Figure Skating Assn.--the sport’s governing body--chose Los Angeles over Portland, Ore., in a vote taken Saturday in Colorado Springs, Colo. The event, which includes competition at the senior, junior and novice levels, will be held in early or mid-January of 2002. An official announcement will be made today.

The U.S. figure skating championships have not been held in Los Angeles since 1954. They have been held several times since then in Long Beach, as well as in San Diego and San Jose.

According to the proposal submitted by arena officials and the Culver City All Year Figure Skating Club--the official host club for the event--at least one other rink will be used for skaters’ practice sessions. Possibilities include the new practice facility being built by the Kings in Redondo Beach and rinks in Culver City and Burbank. However, plans call for the event finals to be held at the Staples Center.

The 1999 U.S. figure skating championships will be held in Salt Lake City, the 2000 championships will be held in Cleveland and the 2001 event will be in Boston.

The Staples Center is one of seven finalists bidding to host to the Democratic National Convention in 2000, and a decision is expected by the end of this year. In addition, arena officials are negotiating to host the Grammy Awards in 2000.