Intuit Dome, the new Los Angeles Clippers arena in Inglewood, is on track to open in a little over two years, owner Steve Ballmer said Thursday.
"It is nothing short of amazing how much progress we've made in a year," Ballmer said.
He celebrated a major milestone in building the new arena, the completion of the steel and concrete frame that will become the 18,000-seat arena.
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The nearly $2 billion Intuit Dome will be ready by the 2024-25 season, with a scoreboard four times the size of most NBA scoreboards, Ballmer promised.
The center court is in the middle of construction.
Ballmer said the only thing standing in the way is his own impatience.
"The problem is my energy," Ballmer said. "I want the thing here now, but it's still two more years."
While unforeseen delays could occur -- similar to those that plagued neighboring SoFi Stadium -- Ballmer and Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts are confident construction will go as planned.
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Butts also addressed concerns that the city will become unaffordable for many people by assuring residents that a third of the new jobs will go to them.
"They've also committed to the biggest community benefits agreement in the history of sports," Butts said. "That's $100 million, $75 million of which will constitute loans to build affordable housing, which we need."
