A historic facility began a new chapter Thursday, when USC unveiled the results of a $315-million renovation to United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
The LA Memorial Coliseum has been undergoing a multiyear renovation led by USC, with the project intended to modernize the fan experience for college football and other events. Through this renovation, the Coliseum received new seating with cup holders throughout the facility, along with technology upgrades that include stadium-wide Wi-Fi, upgraded concessions and new food options, a reduction in seating capacity from 92,348 to 77,500, almost 100 new automated ticket scanners, and more.
On the LA Memorial Coliseum’s south side is the new seven-story Scholarship Club Tower. Fronted by a ribbon videoboard, the area features suites, loge boxes, club seats, a new concourse with wider lower vomitories and new concession stands, a new press box, and the rooftop 1923 Club–a premium space that offers a 360-degree view of the Los Angeles basin.
In addition to those improvements, USC has unveiled an upgraded home locker room that features new lockers, flooring, and graphics. During an earlier phase of the renovation, the Coliseum received improved technology, highlighted by new videoboards and scoreboards, high-end LED lighting, and a modified sound system.
“We are excited to unveil the renovated Coliseum to our fans,” USC athletic director Lynn Swann said in a press statement. “There will be something new and improved for every fan, enhancing everyone’s experience of coming to the Coliseum and cheering their Trojan football team. We are delighted that the renovation was able to preserve the stadium’s historic integrity while at the same time creating a state-of-the-art facility.
“This has been a massive undertaking that required the support and cooperation of so many people, including USC’s Board and administration, the Coliseum Commission, and Exposition Park and local government officials. We are very appreciative of our fans and season ticket holders, as well as the Coliseum Founders and many Trojan Athletic Fund members who so generously backed this project so that no public money was used. We also are grateful to United Airlines for its support in naming the field while continuing to honor our veterans. And we especially want to acknowledge our talented design team and the superhuman around-the-clock efforts of the construction crew that delivered this project on budget and on time under a very tight construction schedule.”
The renovation was privately funded by USC. In order to help preserve the historic nature of the facility, the project was completed under the guidance of the Los Angeles Conservancy. Design work was handled by DLR Group, with construction led by a joint venture of Hathaway Dinwiddie and AECOM Hunt.
First opening in 1923, the LA Memorial Coliseum has a distinct history that includes multiple turns at hosting the Olympics, as well as stints housing NFL and MLB franchises. It is set to host the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams through the 2019 season, as the Rams are expected to move into a new Inglewood stadium in 2020. Come 2028, the Coliseum will play a major role when Los Angeles hosts the Olympics.
Image via LAColiseum.com
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