Los Angeles Clippers owner and billionaire Steve Ballmer has made no bones about it. He wants to remain in Southern California and is planning on building a new arena in Inglewood.
Ballmer’s plans are coming closer to becoming reality. According to Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN, the Clippers are in advanced negotiations to buy The Forum from Madison Square Garden.
The Clippers themselves would not confirm the report. But they made it clear that planning for a new venue in Southern California is in the cards.
“The Clippers continue to pursue plans to build a state-of-the-art, 18,000-seat basketball arena and entertainment complex in Inglewood and are currently working with the city to successfully complete the comprehensive Environmental Impact Report,” the team said in a statement.
Under this plan, The Forum would be torn down and replaced with a state-of-the-art stadium.
The Los Angeles Lakers played in this arena from 1967-1999 before erecting the Staples Center. Both Southern California-based NBA teams play in that venue. It’s something the Clippers don’t see as sustainable moving forward.