"I never get to experience being a fan at an NFL game, so to see the fan experience and how close you're going to be (is cool)."
During the week leading up to Super Bowl LIII, Casey Hayward took a trip to the Georgia World Congress Center for a tour of the Chargers' future home, the Los Angeles Stadium at Hollywood Park.
But wait, a tour of L.A. Stadium in Atlanta?
It was possible, thanks to virtual reality (VR).
"It definitely makes it feel more real," Hayward said. "You've seen the pictures and videos from the outside but to actually go 'inside' when it's all said and done, it's going to be crazy."
The Bolts cornerback donned VR goggles and a controller to essentially move around the stadium that is more than halfway completed and on schedule to open for the 2020 season.
"It's kind of crazy to be able to just see how it's going to look. I know they're (about) 60-percent finished, so to be able to visualize and go out there and kick a few field goals and things like that (was cool). I was able to get out there on the 50-yard line. It's going to be crazy, it's going to be sweet."
According to Los Angeles Chargers Chief Revenue Officer Jim Rushton, the VR experience was so detailed, it gave viewers an experience unlike any other, truly bringing the site to life. Viewers could even take a selfie from their VR seats.
Hayward also got to check out the Oculus, the oval-shaped, dual-sided video board. According to Rushton, the Oculus is one of many features in the stadium that will put it in a class all its own.
"Every stadium has one iconic thing," he said. "This will have an extremely unique roof (canopy)...and be an open-air stadium on the sides. It will have the Oculus, which is the first ever (double-sided) board giving an inside view and an outside view of 360 degrees. There's so much to talk about with this building that makes it extremely unique. There's not just one element that's iconic, the whole project will be iconic."
