He Is a Champion
For two years, Mr. Champion’s land companies have been salivating over what I believe is the largest prospective redevelopment in Culver City history. More than 100 businesses along 13 acres of South Sepulveda Boulevard — many mom-and-pop’ers among them — are scheduled to tumble in the next few years. After buying and razing them, Mr. Champion’s people then would put up what may be a magnificent blend of commercial stores and condos. Numerous people are, predictably, upset but it is too early to tell whether they represent many parties or merely a handful.
Where Was the Reticence Before?
For all of his reticence, Mr. Champion heads an obviously smart, ambitious building complex that has muscles to flash. Champion Development Group presents itself as a one-stop Dream Team. For example: “We are actively seeking new opportunities throughout the Western United States. We will consider opportunities as far north as Portland, as far south as San Diego, as far east as Denver and as far west as Hawaii. We will also consider opportunities in Western Canada and Mexico in prime resort areas.”
Acting Like an Anti-Hero
The evidence that Mr. Champion is a visionary is rapidly crumbling. I am not interested in the opinion of 50 other people who may or may not endorse Mr. Champion’s outline. There may be compelling political or realpolitik reasons for not going into fleshy detail at this stage. But surely the chief of the sprawling group is capable of publicly drawing a raw sketch of what he foresees without endangering the project by disclosing strategies that properly should remain private.
