Mayor Pitches Long Beach Bowl and POLB Celebrates Green Port Anniversary
Mayor Rex Richardson challenged the city to restore one of its great historic traditions: bringing great stage performers here.
During the annual State of the City address, which took place at The Terrace Theater on January 14, Richardson announced the Long Beach Bowl will be built on the Queen Mary’s overflow parking lot area. It will seat an audience of 10,000 to 12,000 and it’s expected to open this fall.
Richardson wants to revive the tradition of bringing great artists to town. In the past that had included jazz legends Cab Calloway, Art Blakey, Ray Charles and Miles Davis; and pop music icons Elvis Presley, James Brown, the Rolling Stones, Snoop Dogg, Sublime and the historic stage performance of comedy great Richard Pryor in 1979.
Legends and ASM Global have won the bid as the principal operator of the upcoming Long Beach Bowl, Richardson announced. He expects it will be a great opportunity for residents and visitors alike while it will also be supporting local small restaurants, shops and businesses that will benefit from increased foot-traffic before and after major concerts.
ASM Global will also be facing a possible worker’s strike at the Long Beach Convention Center by the United Here! Local 11. Union members picketed outside the Terrace Theater before the mayor’s speech started. These union members say they’re ready to go on strike if a deal can’t be made.
ASM Global, the world’s largest venue management company, was acquired last summer by Legends, a major company in sports and entertainment events.
Long Beach has been working at bringing more music and entertainment events to the city such as the Day Trip Festival, Coastal Country Jam and Cali Vibes, and in 2025, the city will host the Vans Warped Tour.
He said that in 2023, tourism contributed $2 billion to the city’s economy.
The mayor’s Entertainment Strategic Advisory Committee has been formed to tap into community business leaders who’ve been part of the arts and entertainment scene thriving in recent years. That included Alex Hernandez, owner of Alex’s Bar; artist, writer and actor Vince Staples; Fingerprints owner Rand Foster; Downtown Long Beach Alliance CEO and President Austin Metoyer; and Long Beach Symphony President Kelly Ruggirello.
Richardson brought out legendary local hip-hop artist Warren G., who talked about the importance of investing in the city’s youth talent. Then Richardson talked about renovations coming to the Long Beach Arena, showed renderings of the Long Beach Bowl, and talked about the highly anticipated 2028 Summer Olympics, hosted by the city of Los Angeles, with several athletic events taking place in Long Beach. A new website, longbeach.gov/2028games has been launched for residents to track 2028 Olympics planning and progress.
Richardson started out his State of the City speech with a special call to action for the community to provide charitable monetary donations for those impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires. Those interested can donate online to the California Community Foundation (CCF) at https://www.pledge.to/LB2LA-wildfire-relief or by texting LB2LA to 707070. CCF states it is dedicated to strengthening communities of Los Angeles County through philanthropy and civic engagement.
What’s Happening at POLB
Richardson made opening comments at Port of Long Beach’s State of the Port event, as well, on Thursday, Jan. 16. He said that 300 grassroots donors, business community partners, and port partners had raised more than $500,000 in 48 hours donated to CCF’s wildfire relief efforts. They will continue receiving and sending over donations and people are encouraged to donate when they can.
POLB CEO Mario Cordero gave his annual State of the Port speech on three topics: progress in Green Port; commercial success at the port over the past year; and the paramount need for maximimum collaboration between POLB, Port of Los Angeles and the state of California.
Cordero said that the port was proud to announce three major milestones for the 20th anniversary of its Green Port Policy, which is putting the POLB on the right track to reaching zero emissions. He said that even with the port seeing cargo shipment growth in 2024 – after two years of decline – emissions are reducing as much as they’d hoped for.
Over this 20-year period, POLB has had a 92% reduction in diesel particulate matter from port-related operations from ships, trains and trucks; and a 71% reduction in nitrogen oxides, or NOx. These are ozone-forming gases from fossil fuels used in engines in cars, trucks and buses. The port also achieved a 98% reduction in sulfur oxides of SOx. These are colorless gases that create smog.
The goal is to get all three categories to 100%. Then they’ll say, ‘Mission Accomplished,’ Cordero said. That will cover on-road, stationary and on-port mobile vehicle emissions.
According to the POLB chief executive, the South Coast Air Quality Management District has said, “The reduction in diesel particulate matter emissions has resulted in significant improvement in cancer risks in the areas adjacent to the ports.”
Jon LeSage is a resident of Long Beach and a veteran business media reporter and editor. You can reach him at jtlesage1@yahoo.com.
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