Elite LA private school’s $200M sports complex infuriates neighbors: ‘Obscene’

One of Los Angeles’ most elite private institutions is putting the final touches on a jaw-dropping $200 million athletic complex — setting off a debate between critics who call the price tag “obscene” and defenders who say private money can be spent however they choose.

Harvard-Westlake School’s sprawling 16-acre River Park campus is expected to open in early 2027, pending final city inspections and a certificate of occupancy.

Once complete, the space will feature a 52-meter pool, a public walking path along the Los Angeles River, two gyms, eight tennis courts, a weight room, dedicated fencing and wrestling facilities, and a cafeteria.

But after a video posted by the Los Angeles Times showing off the nearly finished complex circulated on Instagram, viewers weren’t just marveling at the amenities — they were questioning whether spending $200 million on a private high school’s athletic facilities is appropriate at a time when LA continues to grapple with homelessness and affordability.

“It’s obscene that a private school for the one percent spends $200 million on a non academic facility,” one commenter wrote. “Perhaps HW could instill community responsibility by pairing with local LAUSD schools with tutoring, use of facility, and even donors.”

Another added: “People are starving and unsheltered on the street and we’re spending $200 million on presidential ballrooms and $200 million on private school athletics. Absolutely terrible.”

The criticism quickly evolved into a broader discussion about how wealthy institutions and their donors should use private money.

“If they are opening it up to the public, and they pay for it with their own money, why is it obscene?” one supporter responded.

“You are spending nothing, this is not public money,” another commenter wrote.

Others pointed out that Harvard-Westlake also operates community outreach programs, including tutoring and enrichment partnerships with local public charter schools.

The complex replaces the former Wedding Golf & Tennis Center, a longtime neighborhood fixture whose demolition sparked much community opposition. The project is reopening old wounds over the loss.

“Weddington Golf and Tennis center was an iconic place for the community,” one person wrote on the Instagram post. “So sad that HW destroyed it.”

Still, six acres of the complex will reportedly be accessible to the public, which include walking and jogging trails, plazas, tennis courts and more. Construction on the campus began in 2024 after several years were spent securing permits, navigating local pushback and community meetings.

Whether Angelenos see the complex as an extraordinary investment in students or an extravagant symbol of privilege for a private school that costs upwards of $50,000 a year, one thing is clear: the campus has become about much more than sports.

Harvard-Westlake did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.

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