Host committee asks city for $4 million for Democratic National Convention; council and public sharply divided

Representatives of the Democratic National Convention host committee told the Los Angeles City Council the committee requires a $4 million commitment from the city to meet immediate contractual obligations, while council members and public commenters debated whether municipal funds should underwrite the event.

Noelia Rodriguez, identified in the meeting as President and CEO of LA Connect and a host-committee representative, told the council with 53 days to go that the convention will bring an estimated $135 million in economic revenue to Los Angeles and that the committee faces a $5 million payment due July 1 for construction of the Staples Center build-out and convention production. She asked the city for a $4 million grant to the host committee to help meet those obligations and said the committee…