Stadium for Rams, Chargers delayed until 2020

The first kickoff at the palatial new home of the Rams and the Chargers is scheduled to happen a year later than originally planned.

The opening of the NFL teams’ US$2.6-billion football stadium in Inglewood was pushed back to 2020 because of construction delays caused by Los Angeles’ uncommonly wet winter.

The delay could affect the NFL’s plan to play the 2021 Super Bowl in the stadium, and it will cost the Rams as-yet uncounted millions in revenue and construction costs. Rams owner Stan Kroenke, who is financing the project, decided the delay was worth it.

“Economics were not a factor in this decision whatsoever,” said Kevin Demoff, the Rams’ chief operating officer. “Stan’s decision on this was based on delivering a world-class stadium at the highest quality possible, and that was the only basis for this decision. If it incurred extra costs by delaying, that was fine as long as we delivered the stadium that met his vision and what this project needs to be.”

The 70,000-seat stadium will be shared by the two teams that both relocated to the Los Angeles area in the previous 16 months. The massive project also includes a 300-acre entertainment district, a 6,000-seat performance arena and extensive office space and retail space.

The stadium, which is also expected to be part of the Los Angeles bid for the 2024 Olympics, was scheduled to open right before the 2019 NFL preseason after an accelerated construction schedule. The complex is now slated to open a few months before the 2020 NFL season begins.

The Super Bowl already has been awarded to the stadium for Feb. 7, 2021, although the NFL now would have to waive a rule that prohibits a Super Bowl being played at a stadium before it has hosted two full regular seasons.