Developers for the new L.A. Stadium and Entertainment District announced on Thursday that the opening date for the future home of the Los Angeles Chargers has been moved to the summer of 2020. Click here to read the developers full statement on the decision.
Since breaking ground last November, notable progress has been made on the much-anticipated project. Construction teams have fully excavated over six million cubic yards of dirt, while piles to support the stadium bowl and foundations for the roof structure are in place.
However, a number of factors led to the decision to push the opening of the new stadium at Hollywood Park from 2019 to 2020.
First off, record-setting rainfall over the winter created significant delays from January through March. Extensive climate research done before construction began allotted for a budget of 30 days for the entirety of the construction. However, the six-month timeframe from October through April alone produced 120-percent the amount of rain for a typical year. In fact, in January the region was on pace for the fifth-wettest winter in eighty years.
The heavy rainfall occurred during a critical time as there was nowhere for the water to go but to the bottom of a 70-foot deep hole. As a result, construction wasn't able to proceed on other phases of the site. The new target date of 2020 affords additional flexibility while allowing construction to continue on a more conventional pace.
As a result, the Chargers will now play at StubHub Center through the 2019 season.
"Our focus is always on the fan experience," said A.G. Spanos, President of Business Operations. "Our future home will be the best stadium in the NFL and deliver a transformational experience for Chargers fans. If getting it right means pushing back the completion date, then I think the extra year is well worth it.
"Construction is our family business, so we understand the challenges that come with a project of this magnitude. At StubHub Center we are creating an unparalleled environment for watching NFL football, and considering that no other venue in the league brings you closer to the action, we think Chargers fans will enjoy our three years in Carson."
Located on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, StubHub Center is also home to the LA Galaxy and US Soccer. In addition, it plays host to a variety of sporting events including football, boxing, tennis, cycling, and track and field. Intimate in nature, the decision to make StubHub Center the temporary home of the Los Angeles Chargers has received widespread acclaim.
"I'm looking forward to it because it takes you back," Head Coach Anthony Lynn recently said. "It's a really intimate environment, like college or high school if you're from Texas! I've been there a few times, and every time I go I can't wait to get there and play. I think it's going to be fun."
"I'm excited about it!" Philip Rivers added earlier this year. "It's going to be full and right on top of you. I think it can be kind of a unique environment, and if we can win some games, I think it will be the kind of place people will say, 'Let's go check it out.' It's going to be so unique. There's nothing else like it."
For more information about the L.A. Stadium and Entertainment District at Hollywood Park, visit LASED.com.
