Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
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| Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena | |
|---|---|
| Name | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena |
| Location | 3939 South Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Broke ground | 1958 |
| Opened | July 4, 1959 |
| Closed | March 2016 |
| Demolished | 2016 |
| Owner | State of California |
| Operator | University of Southern California |
| Surface | Parquet (basketball), Ice (hockey), Various (concerts) |
| Construction cost | $8.5 million |
| Architect | Welton Becket and Associates |
| Tenants | Los Angeles Lakers (NBA) (1960–1967), Los Angeles Kings (NHL) (1967), Los Angeles Clippers (NBA) (1984–1999), University of Southern California Trojans (NCAA) (basketball) (1959–2006), Los Angeles Lazers (MISL) (1982–1989), Los Angeles Wolves (USA) (1967), Los Angeles Toros (NPSL) (1967) |
| Seating capacity | Basketball: 14,500–16,161, Ice hockey: 14,546, Concerts: 15,000–18,000 |
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena was a major multi-purpose indoor arena located in Los Angeles, adjacent to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Exposition Park. Opened in 1959, it served for over half a century as a primary venue for sports, concerts, and political conventions in Southern California. The arena was owned by the State of California and was operated for most of its history by the University of Southern California.
History
The arena was conceived as a companion to the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, with construction beginning in 1958 under the design of noted architect Welton Becket. It opened on July 4, 1959, with a Harlem Globetrotters exhibition. The facility was built to attract major professional sports franchises and large-scale events to the city, quickly becoming the initial home of the Los Angeles Lakers after their move from Minneapolis. Its creation was part of a broader post-war development boom in Los Angeles and solidified Exposition Park as a premier civic destination. For decades, it was a central hub for the University of Southern California Trojans basketball programs and later became the first permanent home for the Los Angeles Clippers.
Design and features
Designed in the Mid-century modern style by Welton Becket and Associates, the arena featured a distinctive circular, domed design with a cantilevered roof that eliminated interior support columns, providing unobstructed sightlines. Its exterior was characterized by simple, clean lines and extensive use of concrete. The interior could be configured for a variety of events, with a main floor that could accommodate a parquet floor for basketball, an ice rink for hockey, or a flat surface for concerts and other gatherings. The building's functional design prioritized flexibility and efficiency, though it was often criticized in later years for its lack of modern amenities compared to newer NBA and NHL venues.
Notable events
The arena hosted a wide array of significant events across sports, music, and politics. It was the site of the 1960 Democratic National Convention where John F. Kennedy was nominated for President of the United States. In sports, it hosted NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament games, including the 1972 Final Four, and was a venue for boxing matches featuring champions like Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard. It served as the gymnastics and basketball venue for the 1984 Summer Olympics. Musically, it was a legendary concert hall, hosting acts from The Beatles and The Rolling Stones to Led Zeppelin, Prince, and N.W.A. It also hosted the WrestleMania VII event for the World Wrestling Federation.
Demolition and legacy
By the early 21st century, the arena was considered functionally obsolete. The opening of the modern Staples Center in 1999 drew away its primary professional sports tenants. After the University of Southern California Trojans basketball teams moved to the Galen Center in 2006, the arena saw sporadic use. It was closed in March 2016 and demolished later that year to make way for Banc of California Stadium, a new soccer-specific stadium for Los Angeles FC of Major League Soccer. Its demolition marked the end of an era for a venue that had been an integral part of the cultural and sporting life of Los Angeles for 57 years, leaving the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum as the sole historic survivor of the Exposition Park stadium complex.
In popular culture
The distinctive appearance of the arena made it a frequent filming location. It was notably featured as the dystopian gladiatorial arena in the 1975 science fiction film *Rollerball*. It also appeared in the 1988 comedy *I'm Gonna Git You Sucka* and the 1993 film *The Sandlot*, where it stood in for Dodger Stadium. The venue's iconic status was cemented by its presence in countless television broadcasts, news reports, and concert films, representing a quintessential piece of Los Angeles's architectural and entertainment history.
Category:Sports venues in Los Angeles Category:Demolished buildings and structures in Los Angeles Category:University of Southern California