Proposed L.A. Coliseum Olympic Enhancements Combine Historic Integrity and Modern Offerings
Temporary Structure to Add Suites and Olympic Flair for 2016 Games;
Elements Preserve Landmark’s Historic Appeal
Los Angeles, Calif. – February 22, 2007 – As part of its bid to host the 2016 Olympic Games, the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games (SCCOG) today unveiled the architectural plan for a temporary addition including amenities such as luxury suites to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum without altering the structure of the venue listed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks. The Coliseum is among the most revered and recognized sports monuments in the world and is the only facility to host two Olympic Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies, two Super Bowls (including the first) a World Series and a host of significant entertainment, political and religious events.
“The Coliseum has been the site of incredible events for more than 80 years, but it never shines brighter than during the Olympic Games,” said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. “In 2016, the newly designed Coliseum will glow spectacularly.”
Aerial View of Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
To view Coliseum Renderings, click here (1.1MB PDF)
13,000 seats of the current 92,000 will be removed as part of the restoration of the track to surround the main field. The suite level will provide approximately 2,400 seats, which with the inclusion of currently unused seating sections in the Peristyle end will result in a capacity for the 2016 Games of approximately 83,000. The construction timeframe, should Los Angeles be awarded the bid, will begin in January 2016 and be complete prior to the start of the Games.
“We are very pleased with the design,” said Coliseum Commission President Bernard Parks. “The Coliseum in and of itself is spectacular, and the enhancements provide an enlarged and Olympic-ready scope that will enable this historic monument to grandly receive athletes and fans from around the world.”
Architect David Jay Flood was provided the opportunity to update the international landmark to the standards of Los Angeles’ other fan-friendly facilities while respecting the history that has made the Coliseum a revered marquee venue. His team’s plan to enhance the facility for the Games in a temporary, functional and aesthetically pleasing manner was completed after months of analysis, discussion, consultation and creative suggestion. Flood and his team have created a solution worthy of Olympic Gold through their design of a superstructure that will support 204 well-appointed 10 to 12-person luxury suites and associated facilities. The design also pays tribute to the tradition of the Olympics through a display of the rings, athletes and symbolic winding laurel that will circumnavigate the facility.
“To our team, the only thing that exceeds the excitement of working on this project is the resulting design,” said Flood. “Rarely in architecture do we begin a design with an already historic structure. Our job in this case was to enhance, and we are enthusiastic about the result.”
Along with Flood and his team, the project will include KPFF Engineering, ECS, Morley Builders, Maple, Dell + McClelland / Schirmer Engineering, AAA Banners and Alimak.
Nothing identifies the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum more than the famed Peristyle end, topped by the Olympic Torch which has burned brightly over two Games and, if the SCCOG bid is successful, will burn again in 2016. Respecting, embracing and celebrating the history and tradition of the Coliseum was fundamental in Los Angeles’ 2016 bid.
“The Coliseum is a revered Olympic landmark and represents hallowed ground to athletes around the world,” said Barry Sanders, SCCOG Chairman. “We are very proud to hold the Coliseum as a crown jewel of our bid, alongside glimmering new venues including STAPLES Center, Honda Center, Galen Center, and Home Depot Center.”
“The thrill of walking through the Coliseum tunnel, from the darkness into the light, to the sound of more than 85,000 cheering, screaming, wildly enthusiastic people is something that one never forgets,” added Peter Vidmar, who won his two gold medals in gymnastics during the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and serves as an SCCOG Board Member.
Originally designed in 1921 by famed Los Angeles architects Parkinson & Parkinson and built at a cost of $955,000, the Coliseum has undergone few renovations since opening its famed tunnels in 1923. The most significant of those renovations was primarily structural following the 1994 Northridge earthquake. The Coliseum’s immediate prominence on the sports landscape was a key factor in the International Olympic Committee’s decision to award Los Angeles the 1932 Games.
Los Angeles is one of just two U.S. cities remaining in competition to be the United States Olympic Committee’s (USOC) candidate to the International Olympic Committee to host the 2016 Games. The SCCOG’s bid plans were submitted to the USOC on January 22. The USOC has said that it will make a final decision on April 14, 2007.
About the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games (SCCOG)
Formed in 1939, the SCCOG is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the Olympic movement in Southern California. Since its inception, the SCCOG has bid for the Olympic Games on behalf of and in conjunction with the City of Los Angeles, garnering the award of the Games for 1984. Hailed world-wide for their near-flawless organization, the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles generated an operating surplus of $235 million (in 1984 dollars). Further information about the SCCOG can be found on their website at www.sccog.org.
About David Jay Flood Architecture
David Jay Flood Architect founded in 1967 has developed a widespread reputation for programming, planning and design of multiple acclaimed athletic facilities including the widely respected temporary acquatics facility in Long Beach utilized for the 2004 Olympic Swimming Trials, over 10,000 multi-residentials and 30 resorts. Flood is a charter member of the Los Angeles Sports Council, a member of the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame and has served as a key advisor and executive for international sports competitions for more than 20 years.
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