United Airlines offers to withdraw from Los Angeles Coliseum name change

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (FOX 11) - United Airlines is now offering to withdraw from a $69 million dollar deal to rename the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to the United Airlines Memorial Coliseum.

The decision followed criticism from veterans and key officials that adding a corporate name is disrespectful to the facility's history of honoring troops who fought and died in World War I.

USC announced in 2018 that the stadium will be renamed in summer 2019 as part of a $270 million dollar renovation.

United Airlines sent a letter to USC on Friday that essentially said if the university doesn't honor the name change, then the agreement should be terminated.

USC responded that it would be open to changing the name to "United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum" to honor the wishes of the veteran community, but the airline would have to agree and the deal would have to be changed.

The Los Angeles Coliseum is jointly owned by the city of Los Angeles, L.A. County, and the state of California, and is managed and operated by USC.