California Science Center head fears problems over parking lots

The president of the California Science Center has “serious concerns” that USC’s planned takeover of the neighboring Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum could restrict public parking and cause disruptions at the state museum, which soon will be home to the space shuttle Endeavour.

Science Center President Jeffrey Rudolph said last week that he was worried USC’s bid to control state-owned parking lots near the Coliseum could limit their availability to Exposition Park’s three museums. Rudolph also expressed fears that the museum operations could otherwise be overwhelmed by large events USC would stage at the taxpayer-owned Coliseum, apart from Trojans football games.

The Science Center board is considering USC’s request to assume management of the parking lots under the private school’s deal with the Coliseum’s governing commission to run the stadium.

“We have significant, serious concerns — as I believe others in [Exposition] Park probably would — about operating and being able to operate our facilities,” Rudolph said.

The Coliseum Commission approved the USC takeoverin May after a financial scandal left the agency at the brink of insolvency. Three ex-Coliseum managers, two rave promoters and a janitorial contractor have been indictedon corruption and conflict-of-interest charges. A criminal investigation of the Coliseum management followed a 2011 Times report on financial irregularities.

In July, The Times and a 1st Amendment group, Californians Aware, sued the Coliseum Commission, alleging that it violated open-government laws by deliberating the decades-long lease with USC in secret and withholding stadium records from public inspection. The commission has said it acted legally. The suit is pending.

“We can’t function without parking,” Rudolph said in an interview. “I’m talking about the ability to ensure there’s parking available for school buses for children coming to the Science Center ... the African American Museum, the Natural History Museum and for families that come here.”

In addition, Rudolph said giving USC control of the parking lots could prevent the Science Center from reaching a long-standing goal to convert more parking areas into grassy open space, tree promenades and ball fields for use by the South Los Angeles community.

“Exposition Park serves as a community park in one of the most park-deprived communities in the nation,” Rudolph said.

Rudolph said he had informed the Coliseum’s interim general manager, John Sandbrook, of his concerns but said they were not addressed. Sandbrook disputed Rudolph’s account but declined to elaborate.

A USC spokesman did not return a call requesting comment.

ron.lin@latimes.com