Inglewood Church Buys Great Western Forum

LOS ANGELES-The Faithful Central Bible Church of Inglewood says it has closed its widely anticipated purchase of Inglewood’s Great Western Forum, the hallowed home of championship basketball teams lead by LA Laker greats Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain in the 1970s and Magic Johnson in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

The church said it finalized its purchase of the 17,500-seat arena on Friday. “Jesus said, ‘Do business until I return,’ and that is our plan,” says Kenneth C. Ulmer, who heads the 10,000-member church dominated by African-Americans.

The Forum sits on 29 acres at Manchester Boulevard and Prairie Avenue. It was the site of several championship games in the 1970s, when basketball’s Lakers were lead by Hall of Famers Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor. In the ‘80s, The Forum became home to a new dynasty lead by Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

The Lakers left the facility about two years ago for a new home at Staples Center in Downtown LA. Faithful Central Bible Church says it will rent out its newly acquired Forum property on the days when it’s not holding religious services.