Council approves short-term operator for Hollywood Highland garage amid security, labor assurances

The Los Angeles City Council voted to approve a substitute motion authorizing Trizicon 5 Star to operate the city-owned Hollywood Highland parking facility at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard, Councilmember Garcetti said during the Sept. 25 meeting.

The substitute motion, introduced by Councilmember Garcetti, moved the city to accept the Trizicon 5 Star proposal as an initial management contract rather than a permanent transfer of operations. Garcetti said the mayor’s office had satisfied security concerns and that the arrangement preserves the city’s option to revisit long-term operation.

Assemblymember Jackie Goldberg, who addressed the council in support, said the original agreement called for Trizicon 5 Star to operate without taking an initial profit so bonded financing could be covered. “Once a deal is made, you shouldn’t go back on it,” Goldberg said, urging the council to treat the award as an interim management decision rather than a permanent change.

Councilmembers and staff noted labor and security elements in the recommendation. Garcetti read a letter from Jim Santangelo, identified in the record as the Teamsters president, and said the proposal includes a living-wage agreement with Teamsters Local 911 and that the operator had hired a former LAPD anti-terrorism official to lead security for the complex.

Councilmember Sekowsky seconded the substitute motion. Supporters said the procurement process showed Trizicon 5 Star as the highest-rated bidder under the city’s evaluation, that its revenue projections best protected the city parking revenue fund and bond repayment, and that heightened post-September 11 security concerns had been addressed.

The council recorded a roll-call vote on the substitute motion: 13 ayes; the substitute motion was approved.

The action was described by proponents as a short-term operational decision intended to meet an imminent opening deadline and preserve financial coverage for bonded parking facilities; they said the city could later consider operation by the Department of Transportation.

Votes and next steps: the substitute motion passed unanimously among members present. The council did not adopt a separate ordinance or change the bond structure at the meeting; supporters said the award preserves the city’s financial plan for the bond repayment and can be revisited.

This item followed public committee review and ratings by city evaluators, who ranked proposals during the RFP process.