WeAreSC staffers give their thoughts on the news that a 22,000 seat soccer stadium will be built on the Sports Arena site, and how they think that might impact plans for a refurbished Coliseum.
Garry Paskwietz
I think it’s a good first step in showing what USC plans to do with the revitalization project of the Coliseum grounds now that the university controls a 98-year lease on the property. As much as I have appreciated the Sports Arena over the years (it was the site of the best basketball shot I have ever seen in person) it was clear that time had bypassed the big blue gym and a change was needed.
A partnership with a well-financed soccer stadium makes as much sense as anything, especially with the USC women’s soccer and lacrosse teams being able to play there, but now the key issue for me is how this impacts parking and tailgate options. With the Coliseum itself expected to undergo a serious makeover, the opportunity is there to make a big step forward in the pregame experience for USC football fans by installing some modern parking solutions and a unique tailgate feature that befits one of the most hallowed stadiums in the country.
Johnny Curren
I view the news of the new soccer stadium as a definite positive. Once the Trojans hoops team moved over to the Galen Center, the Sports Arena was basically rendered useless, and it’s not as if it adds any aesthetic value to the Exposition Park area. Beyond the obvious money that USC will gain with the lease agreement, I also like the idea of the restaurants, office space and conference center, and what than can add to the space, in addition to the fact that some of the Trojans women’s sports teams will periodically play there.
With this dramatic upgrade set to take place, it now only makes more sense for the Coliseum to follow suit and to be refurbished, and perhaps this will jumpstart that process. With more money and resources being put into Exposition Park, this spot has the potential to develop into something really special in the future, and there is no way that the Coliseum, the jewel of the complex, can be left behind.
My only question with all of this comes with parking. Will the new stadium take away spots, or will more be created with some type of structure in the plans? I, along with everyone else, am hoping for the latter.
Greg Katz
I think the first thing to consider is that the Trojans play only six to seven home football games a year in the Coliseum. A professional soccer team will play a whole lot more games, including playoffs, so the usage of a new soccer stadium is justified when thinking that the Sports Arena grounds would be better served by a new super structure parking lot.
One problem with building a 22,000-seat soccer stadium is that it figures to decrease the parking capacity in the general Sports Arena, which is already quite limited. Construction of a new soccer stadium could make things really dicey when the Trojans play at home, and what happens if both the Coliseum and the new soccer stadium are being built and redone simultaneously?
In terms of what USC receives from the Los Angeles Football club, it has been made public that the LAFC would control 100 percent of what happens on that land, receive 100 percent of the revenues but would also take on 100 percent of the risk associated with it. The Trojans, however, would be able to use the new stadium for some of its own sports needs. Does that sound equitable?
As for how a new soccer stadium would impact plans for a refurbished Coliseum, USC will be under the gun to rebuild the Coliseum as soon as possible and turn it into a more modernistic venue without losing any of the Grand Old Lady’s historical identity, like the iconic peristyle end. To me, the building of a state-of-the-art new soccer stadium puts pressure on the Trojans brass to make sure that the Coliseum renovations are done right with some eye candy. If the Coliseum renovations are not done properly, it could be a general eyesore to some degree with the newness of a brand spanking new stadium approximately 150 yards away.