Vanzant on October 02, 2009, at 06:20PM – #1

Pershing square has the advantage of better city views...but what it comes down to for me is proximity, 1 block to LA live and about 10 to Pershing. Advantage LA Live.

Jon on October 02, 2009, at 06:35PM – #2

So where will they put the giant metal Christmas "tree"?

loveandhatela on October 03, 2009, at 12:38AM – #3

I read about this first over at Franklin Ave. I personally think that LA Live are being greedy and selfish. Come on let Pershing Square have the monopoly on ice rinks in downtown LA.

LA Live can stick to holiday tree,lights show and Santa. I mean their rink is gonna be smaller and its gonna cost more too.

Unlike the movie theaters which is a positive improvement- the Regal 14 is a new bigger and better facility than the soon to close Laemmle's Grande 4.

LA Live = Bullies

5th&Hill Point of View on October 03, 2009, at 11:39AM – #4

The Good the Bad and the Ugly. The Good - LA Live will be clean, no homeless drunken urine soaked people terrorizing the little children filled with Christmas cheer. LA Live will have a variety of food, no tent varmint ridden vendors who sell food no one would serve on their holiday menu. LA Live will be comfortable with heaters and seating and "hey lets go skating after the movie" type things. The Bad - LA Kings pulling out on Pershing Square after 10 years is just bad. I thought they were all about supporting the under dog, giving poor kids a new experience, and supporting the City. LA Live can't they come up with their own idea? Why not do something different for the community like ski runs, a roller skate rink, or bob sled tracks. Pershing Square kicking out the farmers market in Nov. You may wish you had the traffic there with the ice rink. LA Live moving the farmers market to there ice rink. Who can get there and do you really need it? The Ugly - The parks people will find the money and it probably won't come from sponsors. The money will come from that big parking facility. The money will come from that big pocket book of funds the Pershing people keep saying doesn't exist. In January Parks & Rec will go back to saying we have no money for the dog park completion, Spring Street Park, summer concerts and new grass and that will be very ugly

David Kennedy on October 04, 2009, at 01:29AM – #5

To me the key criteria is rink size. (I'm assuming the ice quality at L.A. Live will be good.) If L.A. Live is really going to be a smaller rink, forget about it. Pershing Square in compact, but a decent size. As a life-long skater, it is large enough so you can actually accelerate and get moving. But, the proposed L.A. Live rink is simply ridiculous in its size. That the Kings franchise would allow it merely shows their disrespect for the hockey gods. King players know it. Alas, management doesn't. Come on! It is not like they don't have the real estate.

As for 5&H's excitable and sensational description of "urine soaked people terrorizing the little children", from someone who has been using this rink since the day it opened, there is no factual basis to his comments. 'Nuff said.

Ellen Kay on October 04, 2009, at 11:38AM – #6

I take my nephews to Downtown on Ice every year. It's clean, fun, and inexpensive. My husband and I went to several concerts this summer. It seems Pershing Square is just getting up to speed creating a free entertainment park for downtown like many other cities have throughout the U.S. I would hate to see cuts backs during the year make up for the lack of the King's sponsorship funding for the ice rink.

Natalie DeJohn on October 04, 2009, at 02:22PM – #7

Okay, I vow to finally go downtown to go ice skating this year. Every year I say I'm gonna go, and I have yet to do so. 2009 is the year!

David on October 04, 2009, at 05:54PM – #8

Let's see, the Kings are owned by AEG Sports. AEG owns L.A. Live. The Kings move their sponsorship of an ice rink from Pershing Square to L.A. Live.

Any further questions as to why?

wag the tail on October 05, 2009, at 09:24AM – #9

I have a few questions. How much does Pershing spend on the ice skate rink. Does the 100 thousand cover it or is that just the start of the entire package. What is the total cost of the Pershing rink? Do we need to spend all that money on a duplicate event when Pershing Park still needs to finish the dog park, better lighting, and a new paint job? Couldn't 100 thousand be better used creating a community room for meetings? Do we need to have two ice rinks or can we survive with one and have a better park year round.

David Kennedy on October 05, 2009, at 11:48AM – #10

My earnest hope would be Parks & Rec would kill off the insufferable concerts and let us skate in peace.

Jasmijn on October 09, 2009, at 11:25AM – #11

My son has skated on the Pershing Square rink every year since he stopped falling on the ice. We'll do that again this year. It's clean, convenient (Red Line stop right there!) and a decent size. No problems with "scarey" people or unsanitary situations. No reason to eat "tent food" either: there are lots of food options in the blocks around the square. We usually like to go to the Central Library afterwards.

The time limits at Pershing Square are a good idea, as at certain times of day the rink gets mobbed by more people it can hold unless they are forced to wait till a less-full slot. It also allows the rink to be fixed up a bit between sessions under the often-too-warm sunshine. I think LA Live's rink is going to have problems with these situations if it doesn't limit skaters' on-ice time.

The rink draws a lot of people to the park with their children. I don't see so much of this the rest of the year, and I don't think that's due to the faded paint or lack of dog runs.

Christopher on November 20, 2009, at 10:26AM – #12

The Pershing rink is bigger so right there, they win! The staff at the Pershing rink are always very friendly and professional. Parking under the park itself is convenient and a short walk from the metro station. The food at LA live is always way overpriced.