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Dive summary:
- Construction on the NBA’s new arena is complete. On Thursday night, the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, opened its doors to the public for the first time with a concert by singer Bruno Mars.
- AECOM Hunt and Turner Joint Venture broke ground on $2 billion venue The stadium opened in September 2021 and construction was completed this month. AECOM also provided the project plans. The Clippers, who previously shared Crypto.com Arena with the Los Angeles Lakers, will take to the field this fall.
- The dome has plenty of high-tech equipment, but setbacks have caused delays for the night’s “24K magic.” problem with facial recognition entryThousands of fans were left stranded outside the venue, delaying Thursday’s concert, ABC 7 reported.
Dive Overview:
For any type of event, spectators must download a special app and create an account to gain entry. They can then create a “Game Face ID” that allows them to enter the venue without scanning a ticket, according to ABC 7.
But technology isn’t the only aspect of the project that makes the Intuit Dome revolutionary, organizers say.
The 17,700-seat hall houses five basketball courtsa practice and training facility, and features an outdoor plaza with two bars, a restaurant and a team store, according to Lenexa, Kansas-based Henderson Engineers, the mechanical engineer on the project. The arena also features the world’s largest “Halo Board,” a double-sided, oval-shaped 4K scoreboard with a screen about the size of an acre.
Two megawatts of rooftop solar panels and 11 megawatts of on-site battery storage were designed to help the Intuit Dome operate carbon-free, according to a statement from Henderson. The company says the all-electric facility will produce no pollution from natural gas or other fossil fuels.
Henderson also integrated sustainable heat pumps, heat recovery chillers, magnetic bearing chillers and supply air distribution under the arena seats, which it says is an innovative and efficient system for providing ventilation and air conditioning under the seats rather than through overhead ducts.
The project has achieved LEED-Platinum certification, the highest sustainability rating from the US Green Building Council.
The Intuit Dome is expected to host the 2026 NBA All-Star Game and serve as the site for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
