Welcome To NFL Disney World
They’re calling this gigantic project “NFL Disney World.” Located in Inglewood, its footprint is double the size of Disneyland. The stadium can seat 80,000 – up to 100,000 for special events. Only Metlife is bigger, with a capacity of 82,500. The stadium and some of the surrounding area will sit under a transparent plastic canopy. But it’s not just a giant, state-of-the-art stadium. The complex also includes a performance venue that can seat 6,000, 1.5 million square feet of retail and office space, and 25 acres of parks. If that’s not enough for you, there will also be a 300-room hotel and 2,500 homes!
All in all, that makes for more than 3 million square feet. That makes it the largest NFL stadium by footprint. So what’s the price tag for this huge project? Stan Kroenke, owner of the Rams, has estimated a cost of $1.86 billion. That still gets it the top spot for world’s most expensive stadium, beating out Metlife in New Jersey (which cost $1.6 billion). But other sources think the cost may be much higher. NFL officials reportedly estimate a cost in the range of $2.66 billion, while others have estimated a staggering $3 billion price tag.
To cover some of the check, LA and the Rams are currently working to convince the San Diego Chargers to join them at the new stadium. Currently, they’re planning on opening in time for the 2019 season.
So What Happens To The Locals?
Unfortunately, probably the same thing that always happens when a big new venue moves in next door: prices go up. Real estate in Inglewood will probably jump in value (and price) due to proximity to the new stadium. And pricier shops and restaurants will likely spread outward from the stadium to cater to the NFL and concert crowds. That may even mean that local, less expensive shops get pushed out entirely.
This kind of thing is one of the reasons we live in LA – to see NFL games and world-class concerts and other big-city draws. But it can be hard on the wallet. And those big-city draws only ever push prices higher.