HKS Architects have unveiled plans for a US$1.86bn (€1.69m, £1.2bn) dual-team NFL stadium to house the St Louis Rams and one other team as the NFL sees Los Angeles as a two-team market.
According to the
Los Angeles Times, Rams owner Stan Kroenke and representatives of HKS met with NFL officials to discuss the plans, with latest renderings showing a light metallic, wave-shaped structure with a roof surrounding the stadium and adjoining plaza. The roof includes metal borders while a transparent material covers the playing field to offer weather protection while maximising visibility.
HKS say the design will allow for breezes to flow through the building, enhancing the outdoor feel. To accommodate two teams, the stadium would feature two home locker rooms, identical sets of office space and two owners' suites.
The stadium itself would be set into the ground, rising up 175ft (53.3m), while the weather protection would reach 275ft (83.8m), conforming to height restrictions imposed on buildings nearby to Los Angeles International Airport. With its airport location, the roof also offers a billboard visible to more than 35 million people who fly in and out of Los Angeles every year.
"Our first objective will be to make sure that those markets have had the chance to get something done -- that they can get a stadium built to secure the long-term future of their franchise," said NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell.
"San Diego has been working 14 years on a new stadium. Oakland is not in a new debate either, for the A's or the Raiders. Same with St. Louis. These are long debates about what is the right solution for the community and what is best for the team. We're looking to see if we can create those solutions locally. If we can't, we obviously have to look at long-term solutions for those teams."
HKS – who previously designed stadiums for the Dallas Cowboys and Indianapolis Colts – have estimated the development would take less than three years to build. The development would have a capacity for up to 80,000 people. The plans also include 890,000sq ft of retail, 780,000sq ft of office space, 2,500 new residential units, a 300-bedroom hotel and 25 acres of public parks, playgrounds, open space and pedestrian and bicycle access. Work is expected to start in December 2015.
