SoFi stadium would have opened this weekend, here’s a look and how to take a virtual tour

SoFi, So Good…but So Empty

Unfortunately due to the global pandemic, Taylor Swift’s July 25 concert to open SoFi Stadium has been postponed. Today we look at the newest architectural jewel in Los Angeles that’s home to the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers.

Unique features

SoFi Stadium is a 3-million-square-foot sports and entertainment building in Inglewood. The project site is about 298 acres. Primary funding for the property is by Los Angeles Rams Owner/Chairman E. Stanley Kroenke. Estimates of the site’s construction have been as high as $5 billion.

SoFi Stadium will be the home of the Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Rams and is expected to host Super Bowl LVI in 2022, the College Football Championship Game in 2023, and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Olympic Games in 2028.

The stadium will include 70,000 fixed seats, with the flexibility to expand to host more than 100,000 fans.

Airing it out

It is the first indoor-outdoor stadium to be constructed. The stadium’s see-through canopy is supported by huge columns around the layers of seats.

HKS, the architectural firm that designed the stadiums for the Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys took on the task of SoFi Stadium. “The regional climate and cultural DNA of Southern California and Los Angeles are the foundation of our design. We have crafted a design that is responsive to its site, the community and the global stage of sports and entertainment,” said HKS principal Mark A. Williams.

Wide open space

Another unique quality of the stadium is its large caverns along the sides that go below the ground level by as much as 100 feet. The architects created landscape biomes that represent areas for Southern California from the deserts to the mountain forests.

First event?

The Rams’ official site says it’s unlikely SoFi would open for the Rams’ first preseason game on Aug. 14. The Rams’ first regular-season game is Sept. 13. If fans are allowed at Rams home games, capacity would likely be limited to approximately 15,000 guests based on current CDC guidelines. This is subject to change based on state, local, and federal guidelines.

The project site

Hollywood Park spans approximately 298 acres and is central to the Westside, South Bay and greater Los Angeles communities. The stadium is directly east of LAX.The site will not just be the home of two NFL franchises but also have a building for the NFL and the NFL Network.

Parking: It is expected to have 10,500 parking spaces on-site and more than 43,000 parking spaces within a two-mile radius of the stadium. Prices have not been released as of this report.

Nice view

A view from the end zone in the upper deck (500 level). Even the so-called worst seats in the stadium have a great view. You can explore the venue virtually on the Rams site and the Chargers site.

Sources: Sofistadium.com, Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, HKS, HollywoodParklife.com

Source: Orange County Register