The proposed Dodger Stadium gondola project encountered a significant hurdle on Thursday (May 1) when the California Court of Appeals rejected Metro’s approval of the project’s environmental impact report (EIR). The gondola, envisioned to connect Dodger Stadium with downtown Los Angeles, was first proposed in 2018 by former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt. The project requires approvals from Metro, the Los Angeles City Council, Caltrans, and the state parks agency, none of which have been obtained yet.
The court’s decision mandates Metro to “set aside its certification of the EIR” and “set aside its approval of the project” until a revised report is completed. This setback may delay the gondola’s completion, potentially affecting its readiness for the 2028 Olympic Games, where baseball will be played at Dodger Stadium.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the court found that Metro failed to address feasible ways to mitigate construction noise and did not properly consult with a land conservancy overseeing parkland the gondola would traverse. Despite these issues, Nathan Click, spokesman for Zero Emissions Transit, the nonprofit leading the project, remains optimistic about meeting the Olympic deadline.
The gondola, which would run from Union Station to Dodger Stadium, is estimated to cost between $385 million and $500 million to build, with annual operating costs of $8 million to $10 million. The project has been a contentious topic, with supporters highlighting its zero-emission benefits and opponents expressing concerns about its impact on local communities and views. The California Endowment and the Los Angeles Parks Alliance filed the lawsuit leading to the court’s decision, claiming Metro had not adequately followed state environmental laws in approving the EIR, as reported by KTLA.
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