Funding Approved for $152M Rose Bowl Renovation

An ambitious renovation of the Rose Bowl has been set in motion with approval of a bond measure by the Pasadena City Council on Oct. 11. Over the next three years, the entrance tunnels will be widened; concourses will be expanded and the number of concession stands and restrooms increased; the press box will be rebuilt, creating new luxury suites and loge boxes; a new video board and scoreboard will be installed; and the historic field hedge will be re-created.

The proposed scoreboard will be a 73- by 30-ft. LED board flanked by LED advertising panels, replacing two smaller boards at the north end of the stadium. The south-end scoreboard will be replaced with a “1940s-era” vintage scoreboard, supported by LED advertising panels. An east-side scoreboard will be added.

The new scoreboards are part of the first phase of the renovations, to take place next year.

The renovations will also be marked by the return of a field hedge that was long a part of the historic facility. The hedge, which once provided a barrier between fans and the playing field, will feature improved access to lower-level seating areas.

The renovations, slated to begin in January, will be completed for the 2014 Rose Bowl game, which will mark the 100th anniversary of the classic college football game.

According to Charles Thompson Jr., of corporate communications for the Rose Bowl, bids for the renovations are just going out. “This is just the beginning,” he says. Work will be accomplished primarily in the off-seasons in a three-stage plan.

Funding will be provided primarily by the bond issue approved by the council this week. Additional funds will be raised by Legacy Communications, a private philanthropic group. There will be no additional costs, ticket-price increases, or donations required for UCLA to continue to call the Rose Bowl its home field.

Besides funding for the renovation, it was announced that UCLA has increased its lease agreement with the Rose Bowl through 2042 and the Rose Bowl game will be played at the venue through 2043.

The renovations will be updated and can be tracked on the venue’s Website, www.rosebowlstadium.com.