Dennis RomeroA report in today's Los Angeles Times expands the number of side jobs former L.A. Coliseum events manager Todd DeStefano had, indicating his own private companies took tens of thousands of dollars from the likes of Coca-Cola and UCLA as those entities booked events at the publicly owned Coliseum and its sister venue, the L.A. Sports Arena.
The Times also details the money paid to his companies by the venues' two main rave promoters, Insomniac and Go Ventures: at least $10,000 each a year for the last three years. This, apparently, on top of the cash they paid to taxpayers for being able to hold the controversial events on public land.
Interesting, because …
… Go Ventures' chief Reza Gerami told the Weekly in March that “Todd DeStefano was our event manager — he worked the Sports Arena, not us.”
Ravers.; Credit: Caesar Sebastian
The promoter, who co-organizes New Year's Eve's Together As One party, also doubted the Times' earlier reports that Insomniac was in bed with DeStefano, saying, “The Insomniac deal with Todd — it's not true.”
The alleged relationship, under investigation by the state and L.A.'s District Attorney because public officials aren't supposed to double dip with private entities who do business with the taxpayers, was exposed after Insomniac's Electric Daisy Carnival rave went a little sideways last June.
Drawing about 160,000 people over two days at the Coliseum, it saw 60 mostly drug-related arrests, more than 200 medical emergencies, and the subsequent death of a 15-year-old girl who overdosed on ecstasy.
The bad press caused the public Coliseum Commission to reconsider the four raves a year held at at the Coliseum and Sports Arena.
Insomniac hired lawyers, lobbyists and spokespeople and seemed to even have the LAPD on its side before DeStefano's alleged, money-making relationship with the promoter caused commission President David Israel to pull his support.
The promoter canceled June's annual party there and started one in Las Vegas. But Insomniac honcho Pasquale Rotella indicated to the Weekly that he has not pulled the plug on future EDCs in L.A.
The Times' latest revelations were based in part on California Public Records Act requests for documents. The Weekly also has longstanding requests for documents, and recently reminded the commission of its requests — so far to no avail.
[@dennisjromero/djromero@laweekly.com]
Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.