LOS ANGELES
DOWNTOWN
NEWS
Life With Derby Dolls
22
Redistricting twists, restaurant action, and more happenings Around Town.
6
The Regional Connector hits some serious Financial District hurdles.
W W W. D O W N T O W N N E W S . C O M
March 5, 2012
Volume 41, Number 10
2
Gary Leonard, he takes pictures.
photo by Rachel Papo
D E K C A AP
INSIDE
A Rundown of the Season’s Arts & Entertainment Highlights, Pages 7-21
photo by Paul Kolnik
photo by Danny Clinch
E L U D E H C S
2
Urban Scrawl on L.A.’s mayor.
5
Side effects of a transit plan.
photo by Fred Debrock
Meet the L.A. Chamber’s new chair.
photo courtesy of AEG
4
Spring highlights include (clockwise from top) Ronald K. Brown’s Evidence, A Dance Company, Bruce Springsteen, who plays two shows at the Sports Arena, Dutch ensemble Wunderbaum, Mana, which lands at Staples Center, and the Green Day musical American Idiot.
6
Wal-Mart Announcement Draws Mixed Reaction
L.A. Opera’s virginal spin.
While Some Cheer Plan for Grocery Store Near Chinatown, Others Decry Company’s Business Practices
15
17 CALENDAR LISTINGS 25 MAP 26 CLASSIFIEDS
by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR
T
o some Downtown stakeholders, the announcement that Wal-Mart will open a grocery store in a 33,000-square-foot space near Chinatown is just what they hoped to hear. Supporters instantly cheered the news that had been the source of months of rumors. “This is a wonderful development for Chinatown,” said one of those supporters,
George Yu, executive director of the Los Angeles Chinatown Business Council. “This space has been available for years and needs to be activated.” However, it seems that for every person excited about the project at 701 W. Cesar Chavez Ave., just east of the Orsini apartment complex, there is someone opposed. Wal-Mart has long been criticized by unions for its labor practices. Additionally, many have complained that the Bentonville, Arkansas-based company’s massive
stores allow it to offer low prices that competitors can’t match. The result, critics contend, is that nearby mom-and-pop shops are often forced out of business. The announcement of the first Wal-Mart grocery store in Los Angeles County drew instant opposition from the Downtown-based Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy. Members of the group said they “are preparing for a major battle.” “We’re concerned about the quality of the jobs they’re bringing to this location and its impact on small business, since the majority nearby are local, family-owned businesses,” said Aiha Nguyen, senior research policy analyst for LAANE. Nguyen said LAANE is currently unclear what form the battle will take — the situation is proceeding rapidly, as Wal-Mart only publicly revealed its intentions on Feb. 24. However, she said members of the organization are spreading the word about Wal-Mart’s plans to come Downtown, and they are meeting with other community groups. see Wal-Mart, page 24
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