Parks Named to Coliseum Commission

Council President Alex Padilla appointed Councilman Bernard C. Parks to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Commission on Tuesday, bumping Councilman Tom LaBonge off the panel.

LaBonge, whom Padilla appointed to the post in January, issued a statement saying that he was “very disappointed” by the decision.

Padilla’s move comes as Councilwoman Wendy Greuel is rounding up support for a bid to challenge him for the presidency. Neither Parks nor LaBonge has said whom he will support, but LaBonge is believed to be leaning toward Greuel.

But David Gershwin, a spokesman for Padilla, said the councilman’s intention was solely to put the best representative on the panel.

Padilla originally appointed LaBonge to the post to fill a vacancy caused by the departure of former 8th District Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas. Once Parks was elected to that seat in March, Padilla decided that he should serve on the commission governing the Coliseum, which is in the 8th District, Gershwin said.

The Coliseum Commission oversees operations and management of the facility. Ridley-Thomas used his post on the panel to advocate for a return of professional football to the stadium.

On Tuesday, Parks indicated that he would continue that effort.

“I’m excited to be on board as people continue talking about bringing NFL football back to the Coliseum,” he said in a statement. “I see the NFL as more than a multibillion [dollar] business. I see it as a seed that will allow ... other parts of our community to grow.”