New State Law Directs Sales and Use Tax Revenues Into Historic Stadiums Including the Rose Bowl

On Monday Governor Gavin Newsom signed new legislation legislation that will reinvest a portion of the sales and use tax revenues generated by historic entertainment and sports venues, including Pasadena’s Rose Bowl and the Hollywood Bowl, back into these venues for accessibility and infrastructure upgrades.

Authored by Senator Anthony J. Portantino, who  reporesents Pasadena, Senate Bill 96 goes into effect on January 1, 2024.

“California is the proud home to many large historic entertainment and sports venues, such as the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, which I am proud to represent,”  Portantino said. “The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles and the Cal Memorial Stadium in Berkeley are two others. These venues have been critical to California’s culture and economy for over a century. In order to keep them thriving, we need to invest in them so they can continue to do what they do best – entertain and enlighten us.”

Portantino thanked Gov. Newsom’s support for the performing arts and the healthy communities it creates. The bill, he said, will definitely benefit the Rose Bowl stadium, which has had budget woes for the past decade and can definitely use the proceeds. 

“This is huge,” Supervisor Kathryn Barger said after the signing. Barger represents Pasadena on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

“The Governor signing SB 96 into law clearly shows that we are ready to invest in keeping our vibrant historic venues refreshed and ready to serve anyone who attends a show, watches a game, or enjoys a live performance in our County.”

Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo said SB 96 is both “an affirmation of the positive impact that historic sports and entertainment venues have on their local economies, and a testament to the hard work of Senator Portantino” in  moving this bill through. 

“For more than a year, I have been in communication with Governor Newsom, Senator Portantino, and others to discuss the significance of supporting our state’s iconic venues and the need to ensure a safe and secure Rose Bowl Stadium for generations to come,” Gordo said. “Those discussions ultimately led to Senator Portantino’s proposal of SB 96. I am proud that the City of Pasadena has once again led the way and that SB 96 will allow state historic venues to reinvest in their infrastructure and continue to bring people and communities together.”

SB 96 is not the only government effort that will benefit the Rose Bowl. In August, the Congressional Historic Stadium Caucus, led by Congressmembers Mark Pocan (D-Wisconsin) and Garret Graves (R-Louisiana), was announced in Washington, D.C. The Historic Stadium Caucus brings together a bipartisan group of Congressmembers to work on preserving the legacy and protecting the integrity of these treasured venues across America while enhancing their capabilities. 

In addressing various key areas to ensure the continued success and preservation of historic stadiums, the Caucus said it will focus on such areas as security, safety, technological upgrades, and funding for infrastructure updates. 

Members of the Caucus said they are dedicated to finding innovative solutions that will maintain the historical integrity and uniqueness of these stadiums while implementing state-of-the-art security measures. 

Some of these historic stadiums are approaching or have surpassed a century of existence and require technological upgrades to meet the necessary safety standards set by local, state, and federal authorities. The Rose Bowl, completed in October 1922, celebrated its centennial last year. 

“The Rose Bowl Stadium is extremely grateful to Governor Newsom for signing SB 96 into law and to Senator Portantino for his sponsorship and strong stewardship of this critical legislation,” Jens Weiden, Rose Bowl CEO and General Manager, said. “With the Olympic Games returning to Pasadena for a third time in 2028, there has never been a better time to support ‘America’s Stadium.’”