UNITED AIRLINES FIELD AT LOS ANGELES MEMORIAL COLISEUM PRESERVING AND ENHANCING A NATIONAL TREASURE ©LAWRENCE ANDERSON PHOTOGRAPHY, COURTESY OF DLR GROUP The Scholarship Club Tower looms large over United Airlines Field at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum. The renovated Coliseum preparing for USC Trojan game day (below). Back to the Future: $315 Million Makeover Turns Century-old Coliseum into Modern Marvel nited Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum’s two-year, $315 million transformation has elevated the world-famous venue back to world-class status. The Umodernization, designed by DLR Group, brings the nearly century-old facility into the 21st Century and prepares it for another hundred years of holding college and professional football games, concerts and special events, as well as hosting an unprecedented third Summer Olympic Games in 2028. The University of Southern California Trojans have called the Coliseum home since the stadium opened in 1923 and the university raised private funds for the upgrades to the public stadium. The fresh features include 75,000 new seats in the bowl, a state-of-the-art technology infrastructure with wi-fi, plus new fan-friendly videoboards and TVs located throughout the public areas. A new seven-story tower, featuring premium seating and a versatile rooftop deck area, is uniquely situated inside the historic and completely renovated bowl. It has given the stadium a sleek and more modern addition while maintaining a classic profile for those walking up to the gate. “This was a special opportunity to modernize a treasured iconic landmark, maintain the historic integrity and provide current day amenities that fans expect from a high-caliber football program like USC,” said DLR Group Principal and project leader Don Barnum, AIA. SEE COLISEUM, PAGE 25 24 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION I SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL NOVEMBER 18-24, 2019 UNITED AIRLINES FIELD AT LOS ANGELES MEMORIAL COLISEUM COLISEUM, FROM PAGE 24 “There’s a very large list of character- defining features in the stadium that In fact, the distinctive peristyle that were deemed to be historically signifi- dominates the east end of the bowl cant. Those had to be respected and has been restored and streamlined preserved or replicated.” with the removal of all advertising The architect said their main from the area as well as the restora- objectives included enhancing the tion of a 50-year-old mural on the peristyle by repairing the travertine main archway beneath the Olympic stone, keeping the exterior of the cauldron. These are among the first of perimeter wall intact, and maintaining many noticeable upgrades that fans the seating bowl’s sloping shape while will see upon entering the historic installing new seats with expanded venue that’s four years shy of its legroom. centennial. All of this was possible by what The fan-friendly and tech-forward Barnum called a watershed decision, renovations also allow the Coliseum to putting the new premium seating and return to its roots hosting more major press box tower inside the stadium. “It entertainment events aside from allowed us to preserve the entire football. perimeter wall intact. From street level ©LAWRENCE ANDERSON PHOTOGRAPHY, COURTESY OF DLR GROUP ANDERSON PHOTOGRAPHY, ©LAWRENCE in all directions there are no visible Historic Renovation Project USC fans pack the Coliseum to watch the Trojans win the first game after the renovation. modifications. With only a 15 percent This renovation project of historic impact on the seating bowl, preserva- proportions created unique opportuni- The second stage and finishing arena. There were a lot of difficult and tion of the exterior, and restoration of ties along with myriad challenges touches were done this past offsea- unforeseen conditions once we the iconic peristyle, we were able to according to Jeff Moe, senior con- son and the Coliseum was ready for started digging into the stadium.” maximize value while minimally struction project manager, USC the Rams in preseason and for the Kozinski said this included renova- impacting the three major character- Capital Construction Development. Trojans’ regular season opening tions done after the nearby 1994 defining features of the historic The redesign and rebuild was done in kickoff. Northridge earthquake. “Some of the Coliseum.” two distinct stages, the first beginning Art Kozinski, senior vice president, foundations and additional piles were The DLR Group executive con- the day after a January 2018 playoff Hathaway Dinwiddie Construction added at that time. The drawings of trasted the Coliseum’s tower location loss by the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams, Company, has worked on many of what was actually there were not that with other big stadiums at the who are Coliseum tenants until the good so when we excavated, some University of Michigan, the University of team’s own stadium is completed of the foundations we found had dif- Tennessee, and Penn State: “most of next year. “It was an aggressive ferent sizes and configurations and we those improvements have been “The extreme challenge was get- schedule … the building was had to cut, chip or change them. We above and behind the seating bowl ting it done in 18 months and in had to shoehorn the building in.” (farther from the field) so you may between we had an active football not easy, it was complex have a suite that’s row 99, but in the stadium for both college and pro putting a seven-story Modern Designs Coliseum your suites are at row 42. teams and international soccer building with a basement That adds a lot of value to those pre- matches and satisfying the needs of in a 1923 arena.” The Coliseum’s renovations called mium products. We created some of broadcast and coaches and making for some bold designs and efficient the best premium-viewing positions in it a good experience for fans,” said execution of the vision. DLR Group all of collegiate football.” Moe. ART KOZINSKI was tasked with creating new spaces He likened their in-season construc- Senior Vice President I Hathaway and modern fan experiences within Tour de Force: tion plan to a musical instrument, “We Dinwiddie Construction Company the confines of a structure that’s not talk about it as an accordion, stretch only iconic but is a designated Scholarship Club Tower it out on Monday, Tuesday, National Historic Landmark. This made The 240,000 square-foot Wednesday, and on Thursday bring it LA’s biggest construction projects additions, upgrades, and modifica- Scholarship Club Tower is the project’s back in and get ready for football. including the Getty Center and the tions trickier than a new project built signature addition. Big donors made That was the challenge for the con- California Plaza since joining the firm from the ground up. multi-million-dollar contributions to struction team.” 35 years ago. Kozinski oversaw the Barnum said his team began plan- secure suites and help fund the proj- Crews worked nearly around the Coliseum renovation as project exec- ning in 2014 and worked with the LA ect along with other boosters and clock, six days a week for eight utive of Hathaway Dinwiddie’s joint Conservancy, USC, and other organi- naming rights partner United Airlines. months during that offseason to finish venture with AECOM Hunt. zations interested in preserving the his- The tower can host 2,200 guests on stage one and have it ready for the He said, “It was an aggressive torical façade and bowl. seven stories and across several differ- 2018-19 season kickoff. Even veteran schedule…the building was not easy, “This is one of the most important ent new categories of premium builders admitted it was an ambitious it was complex putting a seven-story stadium buildings in the world, with its plan. building with a basement in a 1923 history,” noted Barnum, adding, SEE COLISEUM, PAGE 27 ©LAWRENCE ANDERSON PHOTOGRAPHY, COURTESY OF DLR GROUP ANDERSON PHOTOGRAPHY, ©LAWRENCE COURTESY OF DLR GROUP ANDERSON PHOTOGRAPHY, ©LAWRENCE The 1923 Club’s rooftop offers sweeping 360-degree views including ocean sunsets, The Founders Club Lounge in the Scholarship Club Tower offers new options in upscale food mountains, and downtown L.A. and beverage offerings. NOVEMBER 18-24, 2019 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION I SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL 25 UNITED AIRLINES FIELD AT LOS ANGELES MEMORIAL COLISEUM LOS ANGELES It’s a new game day at Memorial Coliseum Don Barnum | 913.481.8925 [email protected] 26 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION I SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL NOVEMBERdlrgroup.com 18-24, 2019 UNITED AIRLINES FIELD AT LOS ANGELES MEMORIAL COLISEUM COLISEUM, FROM PAGE 25 sections including 1,100 club seats on United Airlines Field at two levels, 24 loge boxes with lounge Los Angeles Memorial access, and 26 upper suites. There Coliseum are private outdoor tables, indoor common spaces, and suite configu- RENOVATIONS rations of varying sizes. SCORECARD These can also be rented out for non-game use by companies, wed- • 96-year-old stadium dings, and other events looking for a unique experience. LED lighting fix- • $315 million spent by USC, tures allow the spaces to be custom- United Airlines, and donors ized for these occasions. • 75,451 brand-new seats with The tower also features the press cup holders box with more elbow room for journal- ists, modern broadcast and digital • 2,200 -person capacity Scholarship Club Tower media capabilities, plus coaches’ boxes. • 500-person capacity 1923 Kozinski said the luxury seating was COURTESY OF DLR GROUP ANDERSON PHOTOGRAPHY, ©LAWRENCE Club Deck overdue: “The end result was spectac- •