Los Angeles is famous for its huge number of skyscrapers, concert halls, cinemas, theaters, gyms and other impressive buildings. Here we are going to tell more about the Memorial Coliseum. It is a sports center and stadium located in the Exposition Park neighborhood of the city. Learn interesting facts about the history of the stadium’s creation together with los-angeles.pro.
Construction history
The Coliseum is a sign of gratitude to the veterans of the First World War. The building started in the post-war period, in December 1921. Sixteen months later, on May 1, 1923, the construction was completed. It should be noted that at that time it was the largest stadium in the city. The Coliseum was designed by John and Donald Parkinson. More than $950 000 was spent on its construction.
The initial Memorial Coliseum had a capacity of 75,144 spectators. However, in 1930, it was enlarged to accommodate 101,574 people. This decision was dictated by the Olympics, which took place at the stadium in 1932.
In 1937, electronic scoreboards were installed. They were one of the first such in the country.
Moreover, the stadium had been constantly made more modern and comfortable for both the participants of the competitions and the spectators. In the middle of the XX century, the press hall was renovated and the inscription Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum together with the symbol of the Olympic Games began to light up at night.
Reconstruction of the Coliseum
The largest stadium in LA has been renovated several times. The first reconstruction took place in 1964. Then, the wooden benches were replaced with chairs. These innovations affected the capacity but the spectators appreciated the comfort.
Another reconstruction took place in 2018. The University of Southern California presented to the public the renovation project, which was supposed to cost the University $270 million. It was planned to renew all the seats in the stadium, build the press box, equip a new sound system and modernize the water supply and electrical system, etc. It should be noted that the public reacted to such plans ambiguously. However, in 2018, the University began implementing a project. The costs were later increased to $315 million.
Games and competitions that were held
The Memorial Coliseum hosted many sports competitions, matches and tournaments. Here took place the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1932 Summer Olympic Games, as well as the Summer Olympics of 1984. Therefore, Los Angeles became the only city in the country where the Olympic Games were held twice.
As for the first football match, it was held here in October 1923. The match was between the student teams of Pomona College and the University of Southern California. The game ended with a score of 23:7. In addition, more than 12 thousand spectators attended the sports event. College football is very popular in the United States and many visitors always attend such matches.
Every city should have a modern, large and comfortable stadium. The authorities of the country and the city must ensure the development of sports, the holding of competitions, matches and tournaments. The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum was built more than a hundred years ago but it is still considered a prestigious sports complex that has already hosted the Olympic Games twice.
Hope this information was useful for you and you learned more interesting facts about your hometown.