SPORTS CENTER PLAN DRAWS OPPOSITION.Byline: SUE DOYLE Doyle , Sir Arthur Conan 1859-1930. British writer known chiefly for a series of stories featuring the brilliant detective Sherlock Holmes, including The Hound of the Baskervilles (1902). Staff Writer WOODLAND HILLS -- Residents on Wednesday opposed plans to build a 10,000-seat sports-and-entertainment center anywhere in the neighborhood. Pointing to increased traffic and crime and decreased property values, the crowd of about 100 urged the Woodland Hills-Warner Center Neighborhood Council to reject the project when it meets on Wednesday. ``Does anybody go to bed thinking we need a pro-sports arena here?'' said John Ashby, 51, to the council during the hearing at Woodland Hills Academy. The arena, known as The Oasis, is the brain child of Mark Steele, president of the Valley Sports Authority Sports Authority is the USA's largest full line sporting goods retailer. The company is headquartered in Englewood, Colorado. It operates over 400 stores in 45 U.S. states under the Sports Authority name. Total sales for the fiscal year ending January 29 2005 were $2.44 billion. , who hopes to win support for the project from the neighborhood council. If he gets the nod, Steele will approach the Mayor's Office and Councilman Dennis Zine to find 5 acres of land for the building. Reminding residents that the project is still in its conceptual phase, Steele said the arena would resemble a mini-Staples Center but with all the bells and whistles A slang English term for exceptional features in some product. In the computer field, it typically refers to functions in software that may be greatly appreciated by some users, even though they may not be necessary most of the time. . Open three nights a week, it would play host to activities such as the circus, ice shows, rodeos There are literally thousands of Rodeos held worldwide each year. Some of the more notable or significant are listed below. Brazil São Paulo
AlbertaSteele estimated the facility would bring a much-needed focal point focal point n. See focus. to the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. and could generate about $50million annually. ``We don't even have a single building that we can say defines the Valley,'' Steele said. ``In the Valley, we have nothing.'' Along with the residents who lined up to knock down the idea, there were a few who said the council should give it a chance. When he grew up in the area, 34-year-old Jason Salata said there was always something fun happening nearby, from water slides to skating skating: see ice skating; ice dancing; roller skating. skating Sport in which bladelike runners or sets of wheels attached to shoes are used for gliding on ice or on surfaces other than ice. to race tracks. But over time, those places slipped away from the landscape, and now when he looks around, he doesn't see much for children to do. He encouraged the council to explore Steele's recommendations. ``We have nothing,'' Salata said. ``We have no culture.'' sue.doyle(at)dailynews.com (818) 713-3746 |
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