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Friday, Mar 29, 2024

Fire Damages Sportsmen’s Lodge in Studio City

The Sportsmen’s Lodge Events Center in Studio City suffered a fire Jan. 15 that left the dining and special events venue damaged. The small electrical fire took place in the kitchen of the event center, which is due to be fully operational in February. “Thankfully no one was hurt and the property is grateful for the Los Angeles Fire Department’s quick response,” said Sarah Ficek, spokesperson for Sportsmen’s Lodge. According to a Patch.com report, members of the Los Angeles Fire Department fought flames for more than two hours. Nobody was injured, but the cause of the fire remains under investigation. Crews were called to 12833 W. Ventura Blvd. just before 2 a.m. Firefighters discovered flames engulfing the event center kitchen before they spread quickly to access areas between the venue’s first and second floor, according to LAFD spokesperson Margaret Stewart. The fire crews had to break through the building’s walls in order to fight the fire, which began flaring up through the ventilation system. A total of 57 firefighters battled the blaze. The Sportsmen’s Lodge, which originally opened in the 1880s and pre-dates Hollywood’s film industry, was graced in its midcentury heyday by such movie stars as Clark Gable, John Wayne and Katherine Hepburn, according to the facility’s website. In a 2015-approved plan that was never implemented, the Lodge would be razed to make way for a top-tier retail center. Last September, Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission approved new landscaping plans for the Lodge. The event center is adjacent to the Sportsmen’s Lodge Hotel at 12825 Ventura Blvd.

Michael Aushenker
Michael Aushenker
A graduate of Cornell University, Michael covers commercial real estate for the San Fernando Valley Business Journal. Prior to the Business Journal, Michael covered the community and entertainment beats as a staff writer for various newspapers, including the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, The Palisadian-Post, The Argonaut and Acorn Newspapers. He has also freelanced for the Santa Barbara Independent, VC Reporter, Malibu Times and Los Feliz Ledger.

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