Raves: Coliseum Commissioner Rick Caruso Says Rave Ban Back on the Table, Electric Daisy Carnival Still up in the Air

By Dennis Romero Thu., Feb. 10 2011 at 6:01 AM

The crowd at EDC.

Following revelations that the L.A. District Attorney's office is investigating an L.A. Coliseum official for working on the side for a rave promoter who's been lobbying the public venue to continue his controversial events there, Coliseum Commission member Rick Caruso says a ban on raves is back on the table.

In an interview with the Weekly at his office at the Grove shopping center, Caruso said the apparent conflict of interest of having a manager working for the public and for the promoter should make his fellow commissioners do a double take on raves, which he likens to dangerous drug parties.

Caruso also said the contract for next June's Electric Daisy Carnival had yet to be approved and would be voted on by the commission.

On Tuesday night the Los Angeles Times reported that Todd DeStefano, a top events manager for the publicly owned Coliseum and Sports Arena, was also getting paid by Pasquale Rotella's Insomniac Events during the last year, both when Insomniac had put on the trouble-plagued Electric Daisy Carnival, and when it had come before the Commission, essentially DeStefano's boss, to ask for approval for 2011.

At last week's meeting, after a closed session of the commission, Caruso says he asked for and got a successful vote to have EDC's contract come before the body for specific approval.

"The contract is coming back ...it happened after a closed session," he said. "That contract has not been approved."

He thinks the turn of events this week will persuade fellow commissioners to reconsider banning raves at the public venues they control. The parties happen four times a year at the Coliseum and Sports arena and reportedly make up nearly 30 percent of the venues' annual income.

Caruso says the money's not worth it. At EDC there were 60 mostly drug-related arrests and more than 200 medical emergencies. A 15-year-old who attended later died of an ecstasy overdose.

The commission responded by putting strict guidelines on raves, including an 18-and-up policy, tighter security and "harm reduction" drug education.

DeStefano had been in charge of security at the parties before reportedly resigning last month.

At New Year's Eve's Together At One, co-promoted by Rotella, ID checks were abandoned as too many people crowded to get into the Sports Arena, police told the Weekly.

"I'm certainly going to push for the fact that we should not approve" Electric Daisy Carnival, Caruso said. "The event shouldn't happen."

"How can it happen? How can you trust the integrity of that agreement when you know somebody has been on both sides of it?"

Tags:

coliseum commission, EDC, raves, Rick Caruso

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Soyboi72

i hope EDC never returns to Los Angeles.... Las Vegas (who actually knows how to handle parties) deserves this event way more than Los Angeles... since its in the center, people from colorado, arizona, not sure if utah has ravers but lets put them in the equation, an off course california, Las vegas can earn more money with EDC than Los Angeles.... i never ever want LA to have such an honor to host such a massive event..... Las Vegas has no last calls, and every single weekend,....they deal with more bullshit than LA on a weekend with an event.. not maybe perhaps the the extent of EDC in Vegas but i think they are better prepared to handle such party goers than LA... plus i hate it when im in my LA room and im told to shut up.... LA is LAme.... VIVA LAS VEGAS

Strumpling

Time to throw some raves at the Grove

Move out the way

God danm, still on this case? just have age limit and cap on attendance. or work something out with golden voice to use Indio Polo fields. there has to be some place with acres of land to set up camp. Plus LA is so gross and sketch, it makes people look worse than they are. Learn from the European festivals.

RomeroDouche

Some of your opinions make sense Dennis...but considering this topic is LITERALLY 90% of what you write about, just be honest with everyone. Are you an aspiring dj who's upset he couldnt make it because of a lack of talent? I mean, nobody, NOBODY writes about the same topic over and over and over unless they have some serious obsession or inferiority issues. So come clean, wipe off the mascara, and tell everyone what's really going on!

ThisIsIt

EDC last year was a logistics failure. The event was clearly documented to be out of control. I cost the city millions in physical and property damages. Not including the outcome and/or settlement of the on going civil case, I don't see why a promoter with plenty of other options would insist on a venue that would cost the city money. Added police demanded overtime and "special" pay for added and extended "security". LA ER Room and medical staff were flooded by needless injuries and overdoses.

Why should a select few Coliseum Board member and City Council profit on a public venue and return nothing but chaos and bills. Lets go after the Promoter and the City JUST LIKE THEY DID when Michael Jackson's funeral (no violence or drug abuse) came to Los Angeles.

The End

Dennis Romero

I calculated the cost of the 300 extra police the LAPD wants stationed outside the next EDC, using LAPD brass' own figures, at more than $400,000. That will come from taxpayers. The promoter is being pushed to hired 100 cops for the inside of the venue on his own dime.

However, the office of city Councilman Bernard Parks says EDC creates 4,000 much-needed jobs and generates $33 million in revenue.

The more you know ...