LA Church Sues Staples Center Owner

INGLEWOOD FORUM FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST BOOKING COMPANY:

 The Forum, owned
by Fatihful Central Bible Church points fingers at Staples Center Owners
for its money issues

      Staples Center owners are allegedly playing games with the Forum. 
Owned by a group of churches  (Bishop Kenneth C. Ulmer's Faithful
Central Bible Church as the anchor), the Forum's executives are accusing
Anschutz Entertainment Group Inc. (AEG, Inc.), the exclusive booking
company for the Forum, of steering events to its own properties, namely
the Staples Center.  In a recently filed federal lawsuit, the Forum
Enterprises Inc. (FEI)  blames this alleged greedy booking scheme for
its financial problems.

      In a statement issued by Denver billionaire Philip Anschutz,
reports the LA Times, he calls the allegations "meritless."  Anschutz is
firing back with a claim that Forum heads are attempting to bypass their
obligation to use his company as the sole booking entity. 

      "Not only will we vigorously defend ourselves against these
meritless allegations, we intend to pursue claims against FEI for their
breaches of the booking agreement which has been in place since they
acquired the Forum from AEG nearly six years ago," Roth AEG, Inc.
spokesman said to the AP. The two facilities are the only indoor concert
venues that can accommodate over 10,000.

      The Forum Group's attorney says the real issue is that AEG, Inc.
is attempting to stave off competition.

      "AEG does not want us to increase booking activity for the Forum
because it becomes a competitor for Staples arena," Forum lawyer Gregory
G. Gorman said.

      As the exclusive booking company, when the Forum Group bought the
property  in 2000 (for $22.5 million) the seller was obligated to book
$500,000 in events at the venue each fiscal year. However,  the church
is now in the red struggling to pay its mortgage and operating costs,
says Gorman.

      The suit names violations of antitrust law, breach of contract and
unfair business practices as offenses and seeks to recover $5 million
that was potentially lost from the booking company's suspected concert
diverting maneuvers. The Forum alleged that Anschutz said in writing
that it never intended to fulfill its fiduciary obligations as a booking
agent.

      The Forum, which doubles as a sanctuary to the 13,000 member
Faithful Central congregation on Sundays, has had 12 non-church events
in the 18,000 seat arena this year (including Madonna, Cold Play and
Pearl Jam concerts.).  Ten of those events were booked by
representatives from the Forum Group goes the story.

      Marc T. Little, chief operating officer and general counsel of the
Forum group believes that being placed in this financial bind has
interfered with the ministry's ability to serve positive family-oriented
entertainment to its surrounding Inglewood community.

      Gary Bongiovanni, editor in chief of concert trade magazine
Pollstar points out that the 38-year-old structure is simply a has been
venue.  It can not compete with its newer Staples Center and its
attractive modern amenities such as a bigger backstage infrastructure,
state-of-the-art dressing room, and private boxes.  In case of a music
event the matter boils down to the artist's choice.  "Most artists are
going to want to play the big, new building," he observes.

      About The Forum group's claim that AEG, Inc. is steering big shows
to the Staples Center, Bongiovanni said it's just the concert business.


            Win $25,000!!!
... in Lawry's Tasty Traditions Recipe Contest!
Hurry!  Deadline is 9/30/06. For more info visit:
http://www.lawrys.com