New CA Law Allows Alcohol Until 4 AM, But Only In One Place

INGLEWOOD, CA — Gov. Gavin Newsom just signed a law that extends "last call for alcohol" from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. but it's only for those who belong to an exclusive club inside Inglewood's new Intuit Dome arena.

The governor had some 991 bills to either sign or veto by Monday. AB 3206 was among the ones he gave a green light.

The pilot law, which will sunset in 2030, allows alcoholic beverage service until 4 a.m. "in a private area of a fully enclosed arena with a seating capacity of at least 18,000 seats located in the City of Inglewood."

The state's last-call law is 2 a.m. everywhere else.

But not just anyone can enjoy these extended imbibing hours. The new law only extends the drinking time for a group of dues-paying members of a private club inside the dome.

The $2 billion venue has 17,700 seats and is the future home of the Los Angeles Clippers.

To monitor a potential increase in DUI incidents when the law is implemented, the governor said he has directed the California Highway Patrol to prepare a report soon the impacts of extended service hours.

That report could impact the Legislature's future decisions on further proposals to extend the state's last call time.

The governor also signed off on a new law that will allow people to drink alcohol on public streets and sidewalks in designated. "entertainment zones"

Many attempts have failed to extend the state's drinking time to 4 a.m. and some argue that AB 3206 is unfair because it will only be extended to those in the dome's luxury VIP club, which can only hold 100 people.

Another criticism highlights that the Intuit Dome was funded by Steve Ballmer, one of the richest people in the world. The former Microsoft CEO and current Clippers owner also sponsored the bill under his company, Murphy's Bowl, according to multiple reports. Ballmer's wife also donated $1 million to Newsom to fight an attempt to recall him in 2021, according to state records.

"The governor isn't wearing his reading glasses, the optics aren't great," Mike Trujillo, a Los Angeles-based Democratic strategist, told KCRA.

Sean McMorris, who specializes in transparency and ethics at California Common Cause, also weighed in on the bill, according to the Los Angeles Times.

"The bill exemplifies the disproportionate influence of wealthy individuals and corporations on the legislative process," McMorris said.