ESPN coming downtown

ESPN will build a $100-million, five-story TV and radio production center—and sports bar and restaurant—across from Staples Center in the L.A. Live development that Phil Anschutz and company are planning. Ground was symbolically broken Thursday for the complex that will fill the parking lot north of the arena with a 55-story hotel, theater, cinemas and lots of shopping. In Thursday's Times, Cara Mia DiMassa pointed out that L.A. Live [is it really going to keep that totally unhip name?] presents a much different vision for downtown than the Grand Avenue project near the Music Center. Organizers see one as a new Times Square and the other as a Champs-Elysees, though all I see is they have more in common with CityWalk and The Grove, with high-rises. Looks like we're going to get both of them though.