Staples Center’s Owner to Buy Forum

A group affiliated with L.A. Arena Co.--owner of the Staples Center--has agreed to purchase the Great Western Forum in Inglewood. Sources said the Forum--owned by Jerry Buss--was acquired in a deal valued at less than $20 million. L.A. Arena will operate the Forum once the sale is completed, giving it control of two of Los Angeles’ major sports and entertainment venues. The Forum will lose its two major tenants--the Lakers basketball team and the Kings hockey franchise--to Staples Center when it opens this fall. The Forum opened in December 1967 and has a seating capacity of about 17,500. L.A. Arena said that it will review staffing at the Forum during the next 30 days.