USC Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Renovation

Project Details

Project Description

The Los Angeles Coliseum was built in 1923 and the USC Trojans played their first game there on Oct. 6, 1923. Since then it’s also hosted two Olympics, two Super Bowls, a World Series, a Papal Mass, visits by three U.S. Presidents, and scores of additional sporting and social events. DLR Group is leading design of a $270-million modernization to honor the tradition and heritage of the historic facility while creating a true game-day experience for all USC fans and deliver a decided home field advantage for the Trojan football program. A focal point of the modernization is the design and construction of a new suite and press deck on the south side of the stadium. This will add multiple suites, loge boxes, club seats, press box, and a new concourse. This new suite deck will be inserted seamlessly into the existing stadium bowl. The Los Angeles Coliseum is one of four historic athletic stadiums designated as National Historic Landmarks by the National Park Service. DLR Group’s design will retain the Coliseum’s official Landmark status while also being sensitive to the place the Coliseum plays in the culture of Los Angeles and the United States. The modernized Los Angeles Coliseum will remain the historic Coliseum in look, texture, and impression and a key design intent is to faithfully restore the iconic peristyle to more closely resemble the stadium’s original 1923 design.



The modernization of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum encompasses well over 1,000,000 total SF. The improvements to the stadium seating and aisles will reduce seating capacity from 93,607 to approximately 77,500. The modernization plans call for replacing every seat in the stadium and installing handrails throughout; adding aisles and repairing steps to enhance safety, widening seats and increasing leg room in many sections; adding a new structure on the south side of the stadium that includes suites, loge boxes, club seats, a new concourse, and a new press box; adding new concessions stands; upgrading entry concourses, installing new field and stadium lighting, improving audio and video with two new large screens relocated to the east end of the stadium; updating Wi-Fi throughout the venue; and replacing the electrical, and mechanical and plumbing systems to meet current standards. The design and construction is projected to begin after the 2017 USC football season and be completed for the 2019 football home opener. The USC Trojans will play the 2018 season in the Coliseum during the renovation. DLR Group provided master planning, architecture, and interior design services.