Entertainment
LA councilwoman negotiating with Staples Center owner about Jackson memorial costs
Associated Press
11/23/09 2:30 PM PST
LOS ANGELES — A Los Angeles official says she's negotiating with the company that owns Staples Center about reimbursing at least some of the $3.2 million taxpayers spent on the Michael Jackson memorial.
A City Council panel postponed Monday's cost review for a week after Councilwoman Jan Perry said she had positive discussions with AEG about the memorial at Staples in July.
AEG spokesman Michael Roth had no comment.
A recent city report concluded the memorial boosted the local economy and determined there was no law in place at the time to force reimbursement.
City Attorney Carmen Trutanich (Troo-TAN'-ich) has aggressively pursued repayment, prompting AEG's president to accuse him of bully tactics.
