LOS ANGELES - Farmers Field (72,000)

[en1044]

Originally Posted by Jim856796

I just don't want valuable space lost because of demolition of either one of the halls, that's all.

The stadium will double as convention space.

[ryebreadraz]

Originally Posted by Jim856796

I just don't want valuable space lost because of demolition of either one of the halls, that's all.

They will not start construction on the new stadium until the new west hall is built. During construction of the new west hall, the old west hall remains standing so no lost space. During construction of the stadium, the new west hall is open so they don't lose space then and in the end they have much more space and more modern, uninterrupted space. Before you outright oppose something, get the information first. Not that it matters, but do you still oppose the plan?

[Jim856796]

Shouldn't the West Hall be considered the North Hall? There's only a North Hall and a South Hall, technically. And wouldn't a new west hall be built across the freeway (Highway 110)?

If I had supported any brand new football stadium for Los Angeles, I would have gone with the City of Industry project, but that proposal was probably rejected due to massive local opposition.

That stadium is built, space is going to be interrupted some way or another. And it would mean trouble for the connecting walkway structure and entrance towers.

[slipperydog]

Originally Posted by Jim856796

Shouldn't the West Hall be considered the North Hall? There's only a North Hall and a South Hall, technically. And wouldn't a new west hall be built across the freeway (Highway 110)?

That stadium is built, space is going to be interrupted some way or another.

The new 'west' hall will likely be built on the plaza south of Staples. So it will essentially become the 'northeast' hall. Again, the timeline guarantees that no convention space will be interrupted and the South and new 'northeast' hall will be open and operational for the duration of stadium construction, which will start in 2013.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Originally Posted by slipperydog

If they want to create truly 'uninterrupted' convention space, my best guess is that they will close cherry street, shift the stadium to the west up against the freeway. Then, use the plaza area next to Staples to build the new west hall and connect it over Pico.

yup sounds about right to me.

[Jericho-79]

Originally Posted by slipperydog

The new 'west' hall will likely be built on the plaza south of Staples. So it will essentially become the 'northeast' hall. Again, the timeline guarantees that no convention space will be interrupted and the South and new 'northeast' hall will be open and operational for the duration of stadium construction, which will start in 2013.

So let me get this straight.

This new hall might be built on the Staples Center plaza, and the stadium will be built on the site currently occupied by the West Hall? Does that mean the current South Hall will remain as is?

I'm also assuming that the "sky-bridge" connecting the current West Hall and the current South Hall will be no more.

[slipperydog]

Correct, this is the general thinking. Don't really know for sure how it will all work until they release the plans though

[Jericho-79]

If those end up being the plans, then I must say that the new stadium will look pretty awkward built behind the Staples Center, the South Hall, and the new West Hall.

If you're driving up Figueroa, pretty much the entire facade of the stadium will be blocked by this new hall.

In Reliant Park in Houston, all the venues are more or less spread out. Except for the Astrodome, none of the venues are scrunched up against one another.

[krudmonk]

Oh no, people won't be able to find the stadium and nobody gonna see the football games!

[slipperydog]

Maybe, but the freeway views will be pretty fantastic. Should look majestic

[Jim856796]

The Los Angeles Convention Centre is indeed goiing to be interrupted by one big football stadium. Whoever proposed this is trying to damage (and misplace valuable portions of) a perfectly good convention/exhibition centre. I was right, this proposal needs to be stopped and cancelled altogether. That new stadium is never going to be built, like that West Side Stadium proposal for Manhattan from the early 2000s.

@slipperydog: Last northeast hall was demolished for the construction of the Staples Center.

[soup or man]

Originally Posted by Jim856796

The Los Angeles Convention Centre is indeed goiing to be interrupted by one big football stadium. Whoever proposed this is trying to damage (and misplace valuable portions of) a perfectly good convention/exhibition centre. I was right, this proposal needs to be stopped and cancelled altogether. That new stadium is never going to be built, like that West Side Stadium proposal for Manhattan from the early 2000s.

@slipperydog: Last northeast hall was demolished for the construction of the Staples Center.

When cities like Anaheim, Long Beach, and San Diego are doing better business with their convention centers, then you don't have a perfectly good convention center. Oh and btw...nothing was destroyed to make room for the Staples Center. At least nothing that was connected to the convention center.

[Jericho-79]

Originally Posted by slipperydog

Correct, this is the general thinking. Don't really know for sure how it will all work until they release the plans though

Which side of the new stadium do you think the main entrance will be?

I'm thinking that the main entrance will be on Chick Hearn, since a parking garage is right across the street.

I'm also thinking that they will entirely shut down that portion of Cherry in order to give themselves additional room to work with. This would cause the Pico-Cherry intersections on both sides to permanently become "T" streets.

[soup or man]

Eventually, they should just close Chick Hearn and turn it into a very large plaza. With Staples, LA Live, and the football stadium, there is no way that Chick Hearn should be a street.

Oh and Jim I stand corrected: The north hall was destroyed to make way for Staples.

[slipperydog]

Originally Posted by soup or man

Eventually, they should just close Chick Hearn and turn it into a very large plaza. With Staples, LA Live, and the football stadium, there is no way that Chick Hearn should be a street.

I tend to agree with this. It's actually a pretty inconsequential street, and turning it into a pedestrian plaza would be better for overall integration of the stadium into the entire complex, especially given that it will be built 'behind' Staples. I do understand there is a need for access to that parking garage, but if they tear it down and build a new one with a larger capacity, they can always relocate the garage's entrance/exits from Chick Hearn to the two north-south streets.

[ryebreadraz]

Originally Posted by slipperydog

I tend to agree with this. It's actually a pretty inconsequential street, and turning it into a pedestrian plaza would be better for overall integration of the stadium into the entire complex, especially given that it will be built 'behind' Staples. I do understand there is a need for access to that parking garage, but if they tear it down and build a new one with a larger capacity, they can always relocate the garage's entrance/exits from Chick Hearn to the two north-south streets.

They're not going to tear down a four story parking garage like that. If anything, they are going to make it bigger. Closing off the street in front of LA Live and Staples would be fine, but they're not going to tear it down and it's not as simple as relocating the entrances because all of the traffic would just flow back to Olympic, creating more traffic than is already there before and after events. It would also lead people going in circles to get to the 10/110 interchange.

[KingmanIII]

Originally Posted by soup or man

When cities like Anaheim, Long Beach, and San Diego are doing better business with their convention centers, then you don't have a perfectly good convention center. Oh and btw...nothing was destroyed to make room for the Staples Center. At least nothing that was connected to the convention center.

No kidding...the west hall looks like a freaking 1970s-era department store.

[slipperydog]

Originally Posted by ryebreadraz

They're not going to tear down a four story parking garage like that. If anything, they are going to make it bigger. Closing off the street in front of LA Live and Staples would be fine, but they're not going to tear it down and it's not as simple as relocating the entrances because all of the traffic would just flow back to Olympic, creating more traffic than is already there before and after events. It would also lead people going in circles to get to the 10/110 interchange.

They don't have to tear the garage down all together, as long as they make capacity bigger and close the Hearn entrance/exit. But, honestly having to navigate your way towards the freeway after a game is a staple of the 'experience' anytime you park down there. So, there is no need to be worried about that one garage of cars 'going in circles' to get to the freeway, when everyone else who parks in that area generally has to do the same thing.

Here are two possible solutions if you close Chick Hearn and reconfigure and expand that garage:

Before the game you could have everyone enter the garage through two large entrances on the east side next to Nokia. Then have the west side (cherry street) house the two main exits, a left-turn and a right-turn exit. After the game, if you need to get on the freeway, you use the garage's left-turn exit and either take the 110 northbound onramp or the Blaine southbound onramp. If you want to take surface streets or use other on-ramps downtown, you use the garage's right-turn exit towards Olympic.

The second solution is that both east and west 'openings' of the garage could be used as entrances before the game, and both could be used as exits after the game. So again, after the game, freeway users can use the west exit, and have everyone taking surface streets use the east exit next to Nokia.

Fact is, Olympic and Fig will always be packed after a game. But I think one of these two garage reconfigurations will actually improve traffic flow by giving freeway-users dedicated exits. Hopefully if people use the train, this will also lessen the congestion down there.

[soup or man]

Also at some point, I think the Pico stop along the Blue Line will need to be reconfigured. In a years time, the Expo Line will share that station and not only will that station get even more busy from the people on the Westside taking the Expo Line to see events at Staples, but if the stadium is built, that's going to VASTLY increase foot traffic.

[ryebreadraz]

Originally Posted by slipperydog

They don't have to tear the garage down all together, as long as they make capacity bigger and close the Hearn entrance/exit. But, honestly having to navigate your way towards the freeway after a game is a staple of the 'experience' anytime you park down there. So, there is no need to be worried about that one garage of cars 'going in circles' to get to the freeway, when everyone else who parks in that area generally has to do the same thing.

Here are two possible solutions if you close Chick Hearn and reconfigure and expand that garage:

Before the game you could have everyone enter the garage through two large entrances on the east side next to Nokia. Then have the west side (cherry street) house the two main exits, a left-turn and a right-turn exit. After the game, if you need to get on the freeway, you use the garage's left-turn exit and either take the 110 northbound onramp or the Blaine southbound onramp. If you want to take surface streets or use other on-ramps downtown, you use the garage's right-turn exit towards Olympic.

The second solution is that both east and west 'openings' of the garage could be used as entrances before the game, and both could be used as exits after the game. So again, after the game, freeway users can use the west exit, and have everyone taking surface streets use the east exit next to Nokia.

Fact is, Olympic and Fig will always be packed after a game. But I think one of these two garage reconfigurations will actually improve traffic flow by giving freeway-users dedicated exits. Hopefully if people use the train, this will also lessen the congestion down there.

You can't depend on Georgia St. because they use it for premieres at the movie theater and also they block it off sometimes to help stage events at Nokia or on the deck of the parking garage.