The already made public, but technically secret deal to reopen Santa Monica’s Civic Auditorium will have its first formal announcement at Tuesday’s council meeting.
Approval of an Exclusive Negotiation Agreement (ENA) with Revitalization Partners Group, LLC (RPG) is part of the consent calendar for the July 23 meeting but as the calendar is approved in bulk with no debate, there will be no discussion of the deal unless a councilmember specifically asks for it to be pulled from the group list.
News of the deal broke in May when a resident group, Save the Civic, announced the agreement via an email blast. While two hearings for proposals were listed on the Council’s closed session agenda for May 28, City Attorney Doug Sloan made no mention of a vote to advance one during the meeting.
Instead, several residents organized under the group Save the Civic announced the vote the following day saying it was an "unparalleled opportunity for Santa Monica to invigorate its cultural importance in Los Angeles and on the Westside."
Opened in 1958, the Civic Auditorium quickly became a local cultural hub, hosting the Academy Awards from 1961 to 1968 and performances by legendary musicians like Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones and Elton John. Despite its storied past, the building has been closed since 2013 due to seismic safety issues.
Past efforts to find a partner for the auditorium have failed, and the City currently lacks the budget or staff to reopen it independently. In 2022, the property was declared surplus under the Surplus Land Act (SLA), a necessary step before leasing or selling civic property. The SLA process prioritizes housing, education, and park use, but allows the City to pursue other projects if no suitable proposals emerge.
Two bidders, the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District and the Community Corporation of Santa Monica, showed interest, but their bids were rejected/withdrawn clearing the way for the City to seek a new partner.
In seeking a private partner, the City said it wanted to retain ownership of the auditorium and sought partners with experience in managing landmark facilities as cultural and entertainment venues.
RPG, the consortium selected to lead the renovation, includes several prominent entities: Geyser Holdings: Led by Russell Geyser, with over $1 billion in commercial real estate syndications. The Make Good Group: Led by Tim Sexton, known for its expertise in sustainability and social responsibility. The Azoff Company: Led by Irving Azoff, former Chairman and CEO of Ticketmaster and Live Nation. Oak View Group: Led by Tim Leiweke, notable for redeveloping the Key Arena into Amazon’s Climate Pledge Arena. Live Nation: A Fortune 500 company specializing in live entertainment and ticket sales.
The ENA will be in effect for six months, during which RPG will conduct due diligence, including historic preservation, seismic and structural assessments, Americans with Disabilities Act compliance and other feasibility studies.
The RPG team will fund an initial $350,000 deposit to cover the city’s costs, replenishing it as necessary. If negotiations are successful, the Council will approve a Disposition and Development Agreement, allowing the project to move forward.
matt@smdp.com
