Los Angeles FC’s brand new stadium is officially under construction.
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In addition to breaking ground on the stadium, the team also made a very big announcement; it will be called Banc of California Stadium, as part of a naming-rights deal with the bank.
Some team owners were on hand for Tuesday’s groundbreaking, including Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson, actor Will Ferrell and motivational speaker Tony Robbins.
The bank will also serve as the club’s official bank.
“It’s a little out of the mold for a bank of our size”, BOC chief executive Steven Sugarman told the Los Angeles Times. They are all downtown venues served by Los Angeles’ growing light rail system, which, according to LA 2024, will allow the fans to avoid traffic to get to the Games.
“We start here”, LAFC lead managing owner Larry Berg said in an official release.
Johnson and several politicians who spoke at the event, including Congresswoman Karen Bass, noted the impact Banc of California Stadium will make in the local community, with the club committed to hiring locals and ensuring a diverse staff that’s representative of the neighborhood being a key factor in getting the stadium deal approved.
The 22,000-seat Banc of California Stadium, which is scheduled to open in 2018, will be home to Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Football Club, at the site of the former Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.
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The former National Basketball Association star and actor Ferrell, part of the club’s ownership group, helped shovel out the first mound of dirt and also played for the cameras behind the controls of a backhoe.
