It’s official: The Rams are leaving St. Louis for Southern California starting next season. The second biggest media market in the United States will finally have a professional football team to call their own once again.
One of the big deciding factors for the franchise to relocate was the possibility of playing in a brand new stadium. The facility proposals for a Los Angeles NFL team have been insane over the past few years: Last February we posted about a proposal for an 80,000-seat Chargers-Raiders stadium in Carson, California.
Over the summer, Dallas-based HKS Architects released their vision for a futuristic Los Angeles stadium near the Hollywood Park Racetrack. HKS has famously designed AT&T Stadium a.k.a. Jerry World in Arlington, Texas and Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, so the firm’s vision for a $3 billion stadium proposal for L.A. is probably the one most grounded in reality. Here’s the presentation HKS delivered on the stadium:
As you can tell, it’s going to be more than just a parking lot and a stadium — there will be an entire entertainment complex adjacent to the facility. The pricetag of the entire project is estimated in the $3 billion range. Forbes has an amazing breakdown of what the vision looks like, including a screen bigger than the massive one in Jerry World:
The future $3 billion multi-use complex will boast an adjacent 6,000-seat performing arts venue, a “Champions Plaza,” a lake with waterfalls, retail and office space, a hotel, housing, and 41,000 parking spaces within 1.5 miles of the complex.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the Inglewood complex will be the NFL’s largest by square-feet—highlighted by a “low-slung” stadium with a massive, sail-shaped glass roof that blends with the surrounding environment. The stadium will be set into the ground with an above-ground profile only 175 feet high. The roof will rise 275 feet above the field bearing a rain-resistant transparent material and side openings that allow breezes to flow through the building for a more festive, outdoor ambiance.
Just me or does a glass roof over a stadium in the SoCal sun sound like a terrible idea? Can’t imagine how hot and sweaty it will get in there when it’s still over 90 degrees in for September games. ANYWAY… Back to the details from Forbes:
The Inglewood stadium will reflect the current trend of futuristic open-air venues with its sculpted roof, open stands and concourses, transparent glass, luxury suites, large video screens, and free-standing concessions—for an immersive experience. Preliminary stats reveal nine levels featuring 70,250 general seats, approximately 250 suites, and nearly 20,000 club seats and loge boxes (which is subject to change if the Chargers join in).
Premium spaces will include luxe cabanas; a field level beach club behind one end zone; and two mid-level “Stage Clubs” (conjoined by a conspicuous grand staircase) for group entertainment. Smaller “Perch Suites” in the stadium’s upper concourse will boast advanced digital technology and accommodate groups of six to eight people.
Besides the roof, the stadium’s other main attraction will be “Oculus,” a 50-foot tall, 120-yard ribbon-like video board that encircles the entire field. It’s twice the length of AT&T Stadium’s famed HD video screen in Dallas.
This place is going to be a Sunday Funday gamechanger for everyone in the Los Angeles area.
Business Insider screengrabbed pics of the proposed stadium project.
Rams will likely play in the very old Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum until the project is completed in 2019.