Former Tournament of Roses Executive Director Charged With Violating State Conflict of Interest Laws

A former Executive Director of the Tournament of Roses Association has been charged with alleged violations of California conflict-of-interest laws.

Scott McKibben was at the helm of the Tournament of Roses from 2009 to 2011. He had left the Los Angeles Times Media Group as executive vice president and chief revenue officer to work at the Tournament.

McKibben was charged in December with one felony and one misdemeanor conflict-of-interest violations in a $3 million deal with RingCentral for naming rights of the Oakland Coliseum in Northern California.

Prosecutors allege that McKibben sought an illegal $50,000 negotiating fee.

He is accused of violating Government Code 1090, which prohibits public officials from having a financial interest in contracts made by them in their official capacity, according to court documents.

He is also facing a misdemeanor for violating Government Code 87100, which says “No public official at any level … shall make, participate in making or in any way attempt to use his official position to influence a government decision in which he knows or has reason to know he has a financial interest.”

McKibben, who resigned in August 2019 as executive director of the Oakland Coliseum Authority, was arraigned Friday but did not enter a plea.

His attorney, Michael Rains, indicated McKibben could work out a deal with the prosecution. Rains said they have 1,200 pages of evidence in the case, including 30 interviews.

The Coliseum’s board, made up of Oakland councilmembers and Alameda County supervisors, is now working to renegotiate the naming rights deal, according to reports.

McKibben could face time behind bars and be prohibited from holding a public office if convicted of the charges.