The Clippers swung big and hit a home run during free agency by adding Kawhi and trading for Paul George. But it looks like their biggest reveal was saved for today, when the team released their new plans of their own facility in Inglewood. Some of the press release included the following:
The L.A. Clippers today unveiled renderings and additional details of the team’s privately-financed sports and entertainment center anchored by their new basketball arena in Inglewood.
In addition to the arena, the proposed project located on West Century Boulevard between South Prairie Avenue and South Yukon Avenue will include the team’s business and basketball offices, training facility, community and retail spaces.
“My goal is simple. I want the Clippers to have the best home in all of sports,” said Clippers Chairman Steve Ballmer. “What that means to me is an unparalleled environment for players, for fans, for sponsors and for the community of Inglewood. Our goal is to build a facility that re-sets fans’ expectations while having a transformative impact on the city we will call home.”
The Inglewood Basketball & Entertainment Center will revitalize mostly vacant land under the flight path of Los Angeles International Airport into a vibrant campus. The project is targeted for completion by fall of 2024, following the expiration of the Clippers’ lease at STAPLES Center.
“Inglewood is a diverse, dynamic community blessed with a skilled workforce, emerging infrastructure and a bold economic blueprint for the future,” said Gillian Zucker, Clippers President of Business Operations. “In addition to the thousands of jobs this facility will create for the local community, we are equally committed to working with our new neighbors in the continuing renaissance developing in the City of Inglewood.”
The proposed arena will have a three-dimensional oval design with a unique exterior of diamond-shaped metal panels inspired by the concept of a basketball swishing through a net. In addition to attractive aesthetics, the panels have been designed to provide solar benefit for maximum energy efficiency, as part of the facility’s LEED GOLD-certified design.
The facility’s most striking feature, intended to highlight the temperate climate of Southern California, is the integration of indoor/outdoor “sky gardens.” These landscaped areas for food and beverage will be accessible from every concourse level. The complex also envisions a multi-purpose plaza complete with concert stage, community basketball courts and space for the community to gather and watch everything from Clippers Playoff games to movie premieres on a supersized LED screen.
The project is expected to create an estimated 10,000 construction jobs and more than 1,500 permanent jobs, with local hire components in place to fill 30% of available construction jobs with local labor and 35% of the available arena operation jobs with local residents. When completed, the complex will generate an estimated $268 million in economic activity for Inglewood annually, and more than $190 million in new tax revenue from 2020-2045. That revenue will help support vital city services such as schools, parks, libraries and police and fire stations.
The Clippers are not playing games when it comes to the battle for Los Angeles. The complex looks amazing and the new arena looks dope. Nice touch by the Clippers video team to add Ballmer, Kawhi and PG from the press conference the other day.
In one of the photos, you can see also see the new stadium that’s being built for the Rams and Chargers. So it looks like everything will be within walking distance to watch the Rams, Chargers and Clippers play. It’s good to see the Clippers finally getting their own place to call home.
Flip the page to see pics and the hype video of the new Inglewood complex.
