Inglewood City Council approves new LA Clippers arena

Inglewood City Council has unanimously approved an exclusive negotiating agreement with the Los Angeles Clippers that could lead to the construction of an arena for the NBA team across the street from the future home of the NFL’s Chargers and Rams, the Associated Press reports.

There will be a three-year negotiating period, including a six-month extension, with a developer to build a state-of-the-art basketball arena with 18,000 to 20,000 seats. The agreement requires the Clippers to pay a non-refundable $1.5 million deposit to cover planning costs.

The proposed arena would be on a 20-acre parcel of land located across the street from the under-construction, $2.6 billion NFL stadium that is set to open in 2020. The Clippers’ complex would include team offices, parking and a practice facility, the AP report says.

The land is currently occupied by a variety of businesses.

Rams owner Stan Kroenke is privately financing the NFL stadium as part of a 698-acre mixed-use development that includes housing, retail and entertainment. The stadium is scheduled to host the Super Bowl in 2022.