Lakers, city cheap out on Coliseum party this year

Here's how the mayor's press release glosses over that the Coliseum won't be opened at the end of Monday's Lakers championship parade. The Coliseum party, open free to anyone who could get in — the place filled to capacity — was the high point of last year's celebration.

Based on attendance for the 2002 NBA championship parade and last season’s festivities, team and City officials anticipate a crowd of between 500,000 and 2 million fans lining the two-mile parade route along South Figueroa Street.

While the City of Los Angeles and hometown Lakers held an accompanying rally attended by more than 95,000 inside the Coliseum to mark the 2009 championship, this time around, players will interact with fans from a customized flat-bed float, equipped with audio capabilities. That will help to mitigate anticipated pedestrian and traffic congestion, while also relieving security, sanitation and other civic demands otherwise required of the privately funded 2010 ceremonies.

Wow, a float! Whole thing.