Magic Johnson Gets The Dodgers, Frank McCourt Clings To The Parking Lots

By Gene Maddaus Wed., Mar. 28 2012 at 7:05 AM

Frank McCourt's new business partner

The headline over at the L.A. Times proclaims that the $2 billion sale of the Dodgers to a group led by Magic Johnson will end the "troubled McCourt era."

Not exactly. Frank McCourt will hang on to the Dodger Stadium parking lots through a joint venture with Johnson's investor group. That means Johnson and his backers are now business partners with McCourt. And we know how good McCourt is at working with others.

Those looking for a clean slate are bound to be disappointed. In the Dodgers press release, Johnson praised McCourt for building a "fantastic foundation" for the team.

Someone should ask him at his press conference if he actually believes that. If he does, the Dodgers are in worse trouble than you think.

As for McCourt, he's been trying to develop the Dodger Stadium lots for several years. A while back, he unveiled "The Next 50" plan, which would have involved developing restaurants and entertainment venues alongside new parking garages.

That never went anywhere, due to the credit crisis and the McCourt divorce. But now that McCourt is a near-billionaire, presumably it will come back in some form. High-priced Dodger condos? A football stadium? Bring on the architectural renderings.

According to L.A. Times scribe Bill Shaikin, Johnson's group will have a "veto" over McCourt's development plans. Whatever their agreement, they should get their lawyers to lay it out in painstaking detail, because the chances are good that a judge will have to interpret it at some point.

Bottom line: McCourt is not winging back to Boston in his private jet. He's here for the long haul. As much as everyone may wish otherwise, the McCourt era is not over.

Tags:

Dodgers, Frank McCourt, Magic Johnson, Mark Walter, parking lots

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Wikileaks is Democracy

Magic's tiny investment in the Dodgers makes his rah rah behavior reminiscent to the "house Negro" from the early America's slave era in this ongoing McCourt mess where Mc continues to loom in the shadows ready to spring forth with some entanglement into which Magic's reputation will be put at risk.

taniasultana014

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The boycott is just getting started. The new ownership group took the fans for granted and did them wrong by putting in a bid to keep McCourt in the loop. Road games only until McCourt sells or Dodgers move.

taniasultana014

.....

Gene you are a capital hater! You probably used to get dumped in the trash can in high school. You are a waste of my reading. Magic and Mr McCourt have accomplished more than you will in a life-time, you freaking DORK! - Recognize genuine changes when you are lucky to witness it. - Cali L.A.SwaG:/

Dave Keys Orange County

It's amazing! It's almost like people care about this ;-) Just look at the kind of money you can make from a failed team in the right place and a better history than its present. Hmmm... that could apply to a lot more than sports.