A major announcement to build a new soccer stadium at the site of the historic Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena was made Monday morning.
Major League Soccer's expansion Los Angeles Football Club is planning to build an open-air $250 million stadium, the first of its kind since the completion of the Dodgers' Stadium in 1962.
"We're at the southern end of the sports corridor here in Los Angeles. I can't think of a better spot to bring the community together," soccer legend Mia Hamm said.
The 15-acre complex in Exposition Park would include a conference center, restaurants and a soccer museum. At its center would be a 22,000-seat venue, home to the new MLS team when it makes its debut in 2018.
Earvin "Magic" Johnson also expressed his enthusiasm over the project.
"And what I'm really happy about is that those 12--over 12 hundred construction jobs we can put people to work who live here that's really important."
Hamm's husband, former Major League Baseball All-Star shortstop, Normar Garciaparra played at the sporting arena as a child and said he also felt the need to breathe life back into the area. When asked if the 22,000-seat venue was a short sight of the popularity of soccer, he replied," We want people to feel like they're apart of it, not feel like they're away from it." He also said smiling, the 22,000 seats were part of a preliminary plan that could change.
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The project to build the stadium still needs approval by the Coliseum Commission and the City Council.
