The Forum
The Fabulous Forum, Los Angeles Forum, L.A. Forum
Former names	The Forum (1967–1988, 2003-present) Great Western Forum (1988–2003)
Location	3900 West Manchester Boulevard, Inglewood, California 90305
Coordinates	33°57′29″N 118°20′31″W / 33.95806°N 118.34194°W / 33.95806; -118.34194Coordinates: 33°57′29″N 118°20′31″W / 33.95806°N 118.34194°W / 33.95806; -118.34194
Broke ground	July 1, 1966
Opened	December 30, 1967
Owner	Forum Enterprises, Inc.
Operator	The Planning Co
Construction cost	$16 million (US$112 million in 2012 dollars[1])
Architect	Charles Luckman Associates
Structural engineer	Johnson & Nielson[2]
General Contractor	CL Peck[2]
Capacity	Basketball: 17,505 Hockey: 16,005 Concerts: 18,000
Tenants
Los Angeles Lakers (NBA) (1967–1999) Los Angeles Sparks (WNBA) (1997–2000) Los Angeles Kings (NHL) (1967–1999) Los Angeles Lazers (MISL) (1982–1989) Los Angeles United (CISL) (1993) Los Angeles Stars (ABA) (2000–2001) 1984 Summer Olympics (basketball) Los Angeles Blades (RHI) (1993–1997)

The Forum (known for a 15-year period as the Great Western Forum) is an indoor arena, in Inglewood, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. Since 2000, it has been owned by the Faithful Central Bible Church, which occasionally uses it for church services, while also leasing the building for sporting events, concerts and other events.

Along with Madison Square Garden, it was one of the most well-known indoor sports venues in the US, during its time operating as a major venue. The Forum achieved its greatest fame as the home of the Los Angeles Lakers, of the NBA and of the Los Angeles Kings, of the NHL from 1967–1999, when the teams moved to Staples Center. The building was also the home of the Los Angeles Sparks, of the WNBA, from 1997, until they too moved to Staples Center in 2001.

The Forum was the site of the 1972 and 1983 NBA All-Star Games, the 1981 NHL All-Star Game, Basketball at the 1984 Summer Olympics and hosted the Big West Conference men's basketball tournament from 1983–1988 and also the 1989 Pacific-10 Conference men's basketball tournament.

In December 2010, Madison Square Garden, Inc. was reported to be finalizing a deal to purchase the Forum. A possible refurbishment project for the venue is in the works.^[3]

The Forum is located at 3900 West Manchester Boulevard, across 90th Street (re-dedicated as Pincay Drive in December 2003) and to the north of the Hollywood Park racetrack and casino, about three miles east of Los Angeles International Airport. It is a prominent feature on the landing approach to the airport from the east.

History[link]

1960s and 70s[link]

Situated on a former golf course, The "Fabulous" Forum, as it would become colloquially known to locals,^[4] was constructed in 1967 by Jack Kent Cooke, then-owner of the Lakers and founding owner of the Kings. As a Canadian, Cooke particularly enjoyed ice hockey, and he was determined to bring the National Hockey League (NHL) to Los Angeles. In 1966, the NHL announced it intended to sell six new franchises, and Cooke prepared a bid. The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Commission, which operated the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, supported a competing bid headed by Los Angeles Rams owner Dan Reeves, and advised Cooke that if he won the franchise he would not be allowed to use that facility. In response, Cooke threatened to build a new arena in the Los Angeles suburb of Inglewood. Nearly thirty years later Cooke told the Los Angeles Times sportswriter Steve Springer that he recalled "one official representing the commission laughing at him" (Springer's words) when Cooke warned he would build in Inglewood. Cooke won the franchise, and paid $2 million for the new Los Angeles NHL club, which he called the "Kings." Springer: "Cooke went to Inglewood and built the Forum. Goodbye, Lakers. Goodbye, Kings."

The circular, US$16 million (US$112 million in 2012 dollars^[1]) structure was designed by renowned Los Angeles architect Charles Luckman and was intended to evoke the Roman Forum. The arena seats 17,505, for basketball, 16,005, for ice hockey and up to 18,000 for concerts; it has no luxury suites, but held an unprecedented 2,400 club seats for events. In excess of 70 percent of the seats were located between the goals and no seat is more than 170 feet from the playing surface.

The Forum became a landmark in the Greater Los Angeles Area, in large measure from the success of the Lakers and from the Hollywood celebrities often sighted in its audiences. It hosted a vast number of events such as tennis matches, concerts, boxing matches, and political events. It is sometimes referred to as the "Los Angeles Forum" or "L.A. Forum" to differentiate it from other buildings, venues and places carrying the name "Forum".

Cream performed during their Farewell Tour on October 18, 1968, with Deep Purple as their opening act. Deep Purple recorded their part of the show, which was later released as a live album, entitled Inglewood – Live in California.

Steppenwolf performed on July 14, 1969, with Three Dog Night as their opening act. TDN recorded their part of the show, which was later released as a live album, entitled Captured Live at the Forum.

Between 1970-1977, Led Zeppelin played at The Forum 16 times (their live album, How the West Was Won was partly recorded at the venue), including a run of 6 sold-out dates in 1977; one of these shows comprises the famous bootleg, Listen To This Eddie (Eddie Van Halen, prior to the release of Van Halen's first album, was reported to be among those in attendance).

On June 20, 1970, The Jackson 5 broke attendance records at The Forum, performing a concert with 18,675 paid admissions, grossing US$105,000^[5] (US$628 thousand in 2012 dollars^[1]).

On November 14, 1970, Elvis Presley did two shows (one in the afternoon, another one in the evening) with 18,700 and 18,698 paid admissions. This was during Elvis' second tour. He would return his 10th tour, to perform for two more sold out shows on May 11, 1974 (with 18,500 paid admissions each).

In December 4, 1971, The Osmonds did two shows. Their album "The Osmonds Live" was recorded at the venue.

Barbra Streisand recorded her Live Concert at the Forum there on April 15, 1972.^[6]

Jethro Tull played 5 sold out shows in one week, from February 3rd-4th and 8th-10th, 1975, the first time an artist had done so in the history of the arena.^{[citation needed]}

The Bee Gees performed during their Children of the World Tour on December 20, 1976, the show was recorded for their first live album, in their, then, 12-year career, entitled Here at Last... Bee Gees... Live.

Parliament-Funkadelic recorded half of their live album, Live: P-Funk Earth Tour, here on January 19, 1977.

KISS performed, on three consecutive nights, during their Love Gun Tour on August 26–28, 1977, the shows were recorded for their second live album, entitled Alive II

In 1979, Cooke sold The Forum, along with the Lakers and the Kings, to Jerry Buss for a then-record $67.5 million (US$215 million in 2012 dollars^[1]).

1980s[link]

The Lakers experienced a tremendous run of success in the 1980s, winning five NBA Championships and making the NBA Finals every year but two (1981 and 1986), both times being defeated by the Houston Rockets. This level of success raised The Forum's profile greatly across the sporting world, as fans became accustomed to watching playoff games and other important games played there by the Lakers.

In 1981, singer Diana Ross filmed the concert portion of her "Diana" television special at the forum, entering the arena through the audience, performing her 1980 Billboard Top 5 pop hit, "I'm Coming Out". Special guests included Quincy Jones, who conducted a special performance of "Home", from "The Wiz", and Michael Jackson, who joined Ross onstage for a performance of her 1981 #1 hit "Upside Down". The special began with footage of Ross in a photo session atop The Forum, dressed in a silver lamé bodysuit, complete with large, extended wings made of the same material.

In April 1982, The Forum was the site of the Miracle on Manchester, in which the Kings completed the largest comeback in NHL playoff history, going from being down 5-0 to win the game 6-5 in overtime over the Edmonton Oilers. Combined with upset wins in Games 1 and 5, the Kings eliminated the heavily favored Oilers in a 3-2 series victory to reach the second round.

In October 1982, Fleetwood Mac recorded their two nights of shows at the forum for their Mirage performance, which aired on television in 1983.

Queen returned and concluded the US leg of their Hot Space Tour here, with two consecutive shows on September 14–15, 1982, with Billy Squier as their opening act. These marked Queen's final live performances in the US, before the death of lead vocalist Freddie Mercury in 1991 and the retirement of bass guitarist John Deacon in 1997, until the Queen + Paul Rodgers Tour, 23 years later, in 2005.

In 1984, The Forum also found itself in an international spotlight, as it hosted the basketball tournaments of the 1984 Summer Olympics.^[7]

The Forum played host to Amnesty International's A Conspiracy of Hope Benefit Concert on June 6, 1986. The show was headlined by U2 and Sting and also featured Bryan Adams, Jackson Browne, Peter Gabriel, Lou Reed, Joan Baez and The Neville Brothers.