Commission backs Los Angeles Kings beach event, asks for shorter run and clearer branding

The Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission on April 1 recommended that the City Council approve a proposed Los Angeles Kings beach event planned for mid-September 2025, but asked the team to shorten the requested run and to clarify how the event will prioritize Kings programming over sponsor branding.

The commission’s recommendation sends the LA Kings event – described to staff as the “LA Kings Smartwater and Coca Cola 0 Hydration Zone” – to City Council with a 5-0 vote. Commissioners asked staff and the event producer to revise the plan so the activation runs eight days instead of the 10 days originally sought and to confirm daily hours of operation.

Commissioners and staff said they support bringing a new sports activation to the beach but wanted more detail on the program schedule, what activities will occur on Monday, Sept. 22 and Tuesday, Sept. 23, and how the Kings and community groups would be prioritized in marketing and on-site activations.

At the hearing, staff summarized the proposal and timeline, saying the rink buildout would occur the week of Sept. 15 with event days currently scheduled from Sept. 18–23 and teardown on Sept. 24. Staff said the producer expected about 500 participants and about 1,000 spectators per day and that the court would be open from sunrise to sunset. The staff presentation noted outreach plans to local schools, YMCA groups and “NHL Street community partners” and included a draft site map and branding mock-ups.

Jennifer Pope, appearing virtually as the Kings’ representative, told commissioners the organizers were still finalizing school and community programming and that they would ‘‘work with our team to slot’’ players and community partners into the schedule. Pope said the Kings planned to bring players, alumni and the team mascot and to coordinate with Coca‑Cola sponsorship partners but agreed the event should read as a Kings activation rather than a sponsorship showcase.

Commissioners repeatedly urged clearer commitments on time slots for school groups and whether the Kings would personally attend specific days. Commissioner comments emphasized community access and protecting neighborhood routines: ‘‘We want this to be more of a Kings event than a Coca‑Cola event,’’ one commissioner said during deliberations. Another commissioner asked the organizer to avoid 6 a.m. starts.

Chair Lang and other commissioners suggested a working title such as “Kings Weekend in Hermosa — Season Kickoff,” with sponsor recognition shown as “sponsored by” rather than making the sponsor name the lead title. Commissioners also recommended limiting the total event days to eight and preserving daytime hours of roughly 10 a.m.–7 p.m. in the draft materials the event will present to council.

The commission’s action is a recommendation to council; any final approval of event dates, hours, exemptions from monthly or daily special-event limits and agreement terms will be decided by City Council.

Sources: staff presentation, event producer Jennifer Pope, commission deliberations and vote.