On the eve of the Lakers' NBA championship, there was some question as to whether the city of Los Angeles would be able to afford a victory parade, what with the city operating at a budget deficit and more pressing concerns such as teacher layoffs on the mind of the city council. Ultimately, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa insisted the celebration will go on, in part because the Lakers agreed to ease the city's burden by splitting the total cost, expected to be roughly $2 million. And in case that compromise didn't satisfy everyone, Villaraigosa announced on Tuesday that several private citizens had stepped up to fund the bulk -- $850,000 of $1 million -- of the city's remaining obligation. Keep reading for more info on the Lakers parade.
The parade officially begins this morning at 11:20 AM PT (2:20 PM ET), starting from the Staples Center running along a two mile course to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, where fans are invited to attend a rally. Visit Lakers.com for a complete map and details, and if you plan on attending, take Derek Fisher's advice and celebrate responsibly. If you're watching at home, the parade will be televised on ESPNNews as well as streamed live from the Lakers web site.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-17-2009 @ 4:58PM
Bonnie said...
Where was the Buss family at the Lakers celebration? Is Jerry Buss ill?
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6-17-2009 @ 11:03PM
vandervoorts said...
now that is funny, the city is broke. Calitfornia is broke? Funny how things come full circle, these assholes make millions and the government is worrying about a f____ing parade! I love the game of basketball and always will but let's get real. These player should be making NO MORE than $100k a year with a modest retirement plan. I hate to say it but let the NBA MLB NFL NHL all go bankrupt and then start from scratch. we even pay for their facilities! It really is mind blowing
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