Inglewood scores a rebrand through sports

Sandra Lith came to the front of Ms Ann's Boutique in Inglewood and asked a browsing World Cup visitor if he felt safe, if he had found people nice and if he liked the small city in the Los Angeles area.

When he answered yes to all three, she said: "You go back to Canada and tell them Inglewood is nice, Inglewood is friendly and they should all come here some time."

The city and some of its people are hoping the global spotlight thanks to the World Cup, which is bringing in fans from across the planet to watch matches at SoFi Stadium, helps it rebrand as a destination for fun and recreation, rather than poverty and crime.

With the 2028 Olympics just two years away, and many events slated to play out in Inglewood, it's a perfect opportunity to challenge negative perceptions of the LA suburb.

Unfortunately, it's quite a task, due to widespread perceptions of the area as dangerous that spread globally after the 1992 LA riots, the epicenter of which was just a few blocks north of Inglewood. The area also features in the 1990s gangsta rap lyrics by Tupac Shakur and Dr Dre: "Yeah, Inglewood, Inglewood, always up to no good."

Mack 10 rapped about "mo' murders than a horror flick" in his 1997 song Inglewood Swangin'.

Poverty and crime soared in Inglewood in the 1990s, as Southern California fell into a deep recession and black communities were hit particularly hard. Inglewood's official poverty rate was over 21 percent in 1993 and over 2,500 violent crimes per year were recorded by police in the early 1990s.

Today, the poverty level is still high, at about 15 percent, but violent crime has plummeted. There were 55 murders in 1990, but fewer than 10 in 2024 and 2025, with fewer than 700 violent crimes among a population of about 105,000 people.

City officials and billionaire investors like Arsenal and Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke, and Steve Ballmer, who owns the LA Clippers NBA team and its Intuit Dome home, say the development of the area into a hub for new stadiums has transformed the city, bringing thousands of jobs, sound finances, better times for businesses and optimism to the community.

In LA, people know that Inglewood is much improved, but it's been keen to convince people from outside Southern California that it's a place for fun, not fear.

"This is a whole new era for Inglewood, it's a whole new era. We just happen to be the number one city in the country," said Inglewood Mayor James T Butts Jr, as he helped open rapper Snoop Dogg's newest clothing store across the street from the SoFi Stadium.

West Coast style

Snoop Dogg, too, has been a champion for Inglewood, adding his globally recognized voice and presence to the city where he has spent much of his career.

He has opened a number of businesses in the city, including the newly opened clothing store near the stadium.

"We're going to bring the world together, West Coast-style — unity, respect and a whole lotta love for the beautiful game," he said on being appointed Los Angeles community chairman for the World Cup. Dogg has also been promoting the 2028 Olympics.

Butts is no less effusive today about the impact of five million people per year coming into his part of LA County, which he said is bringing better times to the region. Two NFL teams, an NBA basketball team, and many concerts and shows at their respective stadiums, are providing a steady flow of money, jobs and taxes to the area, he said.

"The City of Inglewood is a massive boost to the economy of southern Los Angeles," he said on May 6 as the area prepared for the World Cup's arrival.

SoFi Stadium is about three miles from a major SpaceX facility with thousands of employees, some enriched by its recent IPO.

An Inglewood police officer at the stadium noted that the tax revenue from all the sporting and entertainment events is keeping city finances sound, allowing officers like him to get paid better than in the City of LA, and makes him optimistic about the future.

He said some areas still have high crime levels, but some formerly dangerous areas are now peaceful neighborhoods.

"You can feel it on the streets," he said. "It's a lot better."

Frustrating traffic

Not everybody is benefiting or happy about the stadiums' impact on the area. Locals frequently complain about traffic jams and lack of parking on game days, which are frequent. Some anti-poverty activists have denounced the rising housing prices and rent that made it hard, or impossible, for them to stay in the city, as more people vie for homes near the sports complexes.

Lith and Ms Ann's owner said they haven't seen extra foot traffic in the shop due to the World Cup, but they have noticed that the road traffic is even worse than usual.

They're just thrilled that World Cup visitors are getting a chance to see an Inglewood that is a lot nicer and friendlier than they might have expected.

REUTERS