'Let's Get Intuit': Exploring Steve Ballmer's $2B promise to Clipper Nation

just going to feel more like home I don't think a lot of other sports teams get to experience something like this was already surreal enough this was beyond anything I could have ever imagined hey everyone I'm Kelly Johnson with Fox 11 normally I'm behind the scenes as a digital content creator and so what that means is I normally writing up articles and helping post content to our social media channels this time I've decided to step outside my comfort zone to tell you about the makings of the int Dome now if you watch Good Day LA you may have heard my co-workers mention me a time too no one is more excited than Kelly our digital producer yes who was actually there huge Clippers fan our colleague Kelly super Clippers fan has been checking this I'm sure she's already been there right I saw pictures a video yesterday checking it out if you're a part of clipper Nation you may have seen me out in the field covering the stories that matter to you for this we're bringing you an in-depth look at everything it took to get this Arena built and how it's propelling the team and the fan base forward let's get into it the community court at the in do Plaza is just one of the Arena's incredible features and it's where we met Spencer Prescott he remembers the exact moment he became a Clippers fan it started with big brothers when I was little I went to my first game that first game happened to be when Michael Jordan dropped 49 points a game that was featured on the Last Dance I love seeing the Clippers fight he went to see Michael Jordan but he left as a Clippers fan and has been loyal ever since then you have fans like Dwayne Logan Jr who was basically Born Into the fandom it's always been a family thing like every man in my family was a clipping family my uncle my dad you know their brothers and sisters even my mom side of family from the LA Memorial Sports Arena to staple center these venues never quite felt like home at Staples you could walk through the the gift shop uh the team store which you know doesn't even have all of our stuff and once you walk out that's it I think if you walked outside of your house and you saw just pictures of all the other people who lived there who were such great tenants in 2014 Steve bulmer HD the ground running it didn't take him long to see the challenges that came with sharing an arena with the glorified Lakers being third tenant in a multi-use arena is never where any team wants to be we will always be um in the shadows of the Lakers in terms of facilities the Clippers probably had the hardest you know dealt hand in any of the professional North American Sports Balmer soon realized the Clippers needed a home of their own this is how we explained it at a recent event for you the fans everyone a part of clipper Nation could you speak about the importance of having your own home outside of purple and gold Shadow so when I acquired the team I was very delighted that I wouldn't have to build an arena I said this is great 6 months later we got to build an arena we got to build a place that's our house we got to put the energy in our house of course the best place is to be right across from so F announcing the arena would be an Englewood delighted local fans oh my God I was so excited we know now that completing the Intuit Dome was a success but it wasn't always that way and in the beginning not everyone was a fan of the idea I know people that were upset for like you know gentrification Urban Development purposes I got to see it from you know where they just started you know um fencing everything up the residents that are kind of near the into it Forum Sofi the traffic is bananas so I get it here's what fox 11's Phil Shan reported back in 2017 across Century here is the LA stadium and entertainment complex at Hollywood Park this is a Century Boulevard back over here is the proposed site of the Clippers Arena or is it this new lawsuit accuses the city and the mayor of fraud in the Clippers deal the dispute is over some 15 Acres at Century and Prairie to build a new arena for the LA Clippers the city would buy out businesses use vacant Lots but some residents object something that's we can all use I may never go to a Clippers game with a refurbished Forum the new NFL entertainment complex under construction across the street and a new Hollywood Park Casino in the future they say enough we've already got the form that does good business and we're happy about progress at least I know I am and then we got the Rams coming another good thing but I feel like like the more these things come and the more the city progresses we push out the people who've been here forever well it's not just one more it's two more so it'll be a total of three um big major developments coming and with it already taking 45 minutes taking home from one the traffic is going to double and now allegations of fraud the owners of The Forum suing the city claiming they were tricked into giving up their lease on this land by englewood's mayor who said the city planned a Silicon Valley type Technology Park while secretly negotiating with the Clippers this fraudulent scheme the lawsuit claims was designed to allow the city to enter into an agreement providing for the property to be used as the site for an arena competitive with the Forum in direct violation of the city's promises and legal obligations the Englewood city council okayed the deal last year and mayor James buts has denied any fraud whatever ultimately happens residents we spoke with say the city's priorities are misguided uplift englewood.co Arenas help people like Mike Wilson who grew up here but can't afford to live here anymore I think the priorities uh right now for the city of Inglewood should be the people of Inglewood not the economics now there are some in eng lewood who believe that mayor buts rules rather than governs and this is an example of that mayor buts of the past has said that his objective is improving the city of 100,000 for everyone the business climate and res residents and that he should judge be judged by results now nothing from the mayor or the Clippers on the allegations of fraud in this lawsuit but of course they can't stay silent forever they'll have to answer these serious charges in court the lawsuit was dropped in 2020 when Balmer agreed to buy The Forum from MSG for $400 million but it just feels like you know the the least accomplished roommate bought their own house construction began a short time later here's an aerial view from Sky fox in 2017 and here's what it looks like now every time I would drive by it would be taking shape and that was so much fun to watch the infrastructure the energy the excitement will all get built out in one place do what we can in every way shape and form uh for our fans and for our team for Clipper fans who call Englewood in surrounding areas home they're embracing the growth but how Engle was perfect for this type of team to have a identity yes we are Underdog but we're more in a stable condition where we can actually move up from that quote unquote little brother I try to describe to my brother and my sister who are living in Atlanta now they go now where is the thing gonna be I said you know where the churches was on the corner of Prairie and Century that's gone years ago I can I can remember driving by here and it was a Church's Chicken here um and you know a few other motels and stuff like that but the to see that there's a whole basketball arena here um with um you know development with parking and stuff like that it's it's change the landscape of Inglewood having a here in Inglewood I think it's it's really cool because like it just with Sofi and you know everything being built around um I feel like it just kind of like brings it all together what I thought about a lot was the job Creations here in Englewood the int web it says construction of the Dome created 7,000 jobs and 30% of those positions went to Englewood residents it creates like a hub for entertainment here in Inglewood and now that in Dome is here it's not just like for sports but we get to enjoy concerts here too 3 2 1 since the groundbreaking the Clippers have hosted several events leading up to the grand opening this includes celebrating the renovations of every public basketball court in the city of La South La resident Vanessa Fernandez serves in the community for a living we try to bridge the equity Gap from you know the students that are housed and from homeless students to make sure that they also have the same opportunities seeing her team logo Citywide means a lot just being able to see the Clipper name on the court I was like man that's my team and she says she finds similarities to her students in the team she roots for I feel like the team like like they're Fighters you know we've we've seen it all they're persistent and I see that a lot in my students that I that I work with that expanded to courts across LA County last fall the court at Jesse Owens park in South La was rebranded as the Russell Westbrook Community Court it was a full circle moment for the former Clipper since it was the very Court he grew up playing on also little by little the Clippers have given fans a sneak peek of the new Arena including the raising of the last still beam that day fan favorite Terren Man became the first person to dunk inside the Intuit Dome Terence man did the honors there it is as t- man knows like Englewood the Clippers have also experienced some changes and being a fan isn't exactly for the faint of heart the thing that's so traumatizing and I I literally use that word traumatizing cuz it is it's just been heartbreak right the whole thing even when things are good things can still be bad and that was you know things were bad for the CLI and also bad on the court between injuries to Star players shortlived playoff runs Clipper fans have experienced tremendous highs and lows three straight games you almost see a repeat of game six of that 2015 second round where when push comes to shove and it's time to just close out this damn second round series we're missing every shot known to man I mean jichael green missed a dunk a point blank dunk and Lou Williams was out here missing layups in the bubble it felt like I was watching a scripted show that's how bad it felt it literally felt like I was watching a scripted show and I was like I guess the basketball Gods just don't want to see us make it past the second round and that all changed in 2021 it would be the year the Clippers made franchise history for those of you who don't believe the Clippers have any fans just take a look at the crowd outside what was then called The Staple Center before game six of the Western Conference semifinals between the Clippers and Utah Jazz it's the night Darian vizeri calls the curse so I always said that it would take a herculan effort by a player or by the team to make it past second round and I was right and that effort came from Terence man yeah that was an incredible night a night that would shake things up everybody made fun of us that we didn't all the time especially being in the LA and having the Lakers 17 Rings it wasn't just 17 to zero it was you haven't even made a Conference Finals t- man had a career-high 39 points in a performance that would solidify him as a fan favorite by having a crucial role in sending the Clippers to the Western Conference Finals of first and franchise history people believe you can do something that's very difficult we didn't waste our time believing in this now that they've made it one time I think we're all very ready for it to happen again we are 9 hours away from tip off now counting you down and yes the Clippers the oldest franchise in the league to not make it to the NBA finals but Clipper Nation says this is our year I'm going introduce you to a Super Fan you may recognize this face around Roxy and Tony Kelly Johnson yes she works with us and yes she is planning to be inside the Arena tonight she's down here early looking good all right so Paul George Marcus Morris what do the guys need to do we're missing a couple of our starters Kelly but what do they need to do to pull it off again tonight against the Suns well they need to take a big lead early we saw that they did it in game five and that gave them the confidence and that kept them elevated throughout the game sadly it wasn't our year and we were eliminated that night people are really sad Clippers fans but they're also really proud I'm so proud of the team they fought through adversity they battled through the hardest of times um it was great to be at full capacity again and to see everybody come out and cheer for the squad you know even though it wasn't the outcome we expected we're heartbroken but we tried our hardest you know I wish kawhai could have been there for us but we'll be back next year Paul George tried to carry the load but you know they stepped up as much as they could but game six couldn't happen so maybe next year even though he's gone now I don't want to downplay what Paul George did that night and what he did in those two games and Reggie Jackson as well teren man is the star of that night and I'll always thank them for that even though the Clippers didn't make it to the Finish Line they were so proud of reaching a franchise Milestone making for some great momentum ahead of the official groundbreaking of the new Arena it was just dirt everywhere and they had tents put up like they were shooting a movie and I have you know a collection of that dirt in like a a souvenir near centerpiece or whatever that they gave me and I get to look at that every day with a new Arena came a new look I absolutely love it it's fresh we got red jerseys back everyone is excited about that like they got everything absolutely right months after announcing the Rebrand the Clippers opened their first ever flagship store this is the first time ever in our history that we have a team store that is our own team store now to have a store dedicated to our team that feels like those big team stores and and for soccer team in Europe and stuff like that and I I am really excited about that the in it dome is essentially a love letter to Clipper fans from Steve Balmer giving us Clipper fans uh something a new life a new energy um into rooting for um our team um it's means a lot it's nice to see the ground sell right come hang out we we need people who care about the team I don't care if you've been a fan since PG and gu came I don't care if you were a fan when you know Bill Walton was on the team like the Clippers are in the in business of getting new fans and they've done a pretty good job of that outside the main entrance is a welcome message from the owner that reads from one Super Fan to another that means everything it makes it feel like they're actually listening to us when it comes to being a fan just taking it all in it kind of leaves you like breathless in a way so will Clipper fans miss the Downtown Arena well it depends on who you ask I met so many great people there and just you know created a lot of really great friendships there so I think it's mostly the memories that I I'll miss part of it was bittersweet because you'll be leaving a Arena that you know yes you had your bad but you also had your good memories and for others they'll simply miss the more convenient commute I'm trying to think of something I'll actually miss the most the 10 traffic is much more bearable for me in my route to the games than the 405 South traffic on weekdays as someone who lives in La the location was pretty nice it's centrally located Clipper fans are just taking it all in and adjusting to the fact that finally they have an arena to call their own the first steps coming in it was just so surreal this sounds crazy but maybe it it hasn't really set in for me yet that it's their own Arena Sofi stadium was already surreal enough this was beyond anything I could have ever imagined the Clippers have rolled out the Arena's food menu and shown the massive Halo board I'm excited to see and notice those little things they've done to make it so the game is the full experience it's part of a new era that makes Englewood natives proud it's just bringing so much great stuff to the city and it's not always going to be connected to being up to no good because we've been up to some good for decades at this point the party kicks off with back-to-back soldout concerts by Bruno Mars Usher and Olivia Rodrigo will also take the intu a dome stage before the Clipper season opener on October 23rd Balmer he he he got it right he said he was going to bring us a world class stadium and everyone's you know breakdowns so far have been exactly that I'm hoping that this intu Dome brings new life to the Clippers the fans to the city and I hope that we can hang up a banner there soon in our own Arena n Englewood Kelly Johnson Fox 11 News new