The Official Los Angeles FC Thread
Will Ferrell, Magic Johnson lead LAFC ownership at stadium groundbreaking
“We will go undefeated in our inaugural season. I don’t know how hard that is to do, but we have a pretty good chance. And if not, you can come up and tackle me in the parking lot, OK?”
LAFC co-owner Will Ferrell drew the laughs after jokingly laying down the gauntlet during his club's stadium groundbreaking event on Tuesday, but it was the stadium project that was the star on the day.
LAFC’s home will be called Banc of California Stadium, as a naming rights partnership was announced during the event, something lead managing owner Larry Berg said was “the largest sponsorship in the history of MLS” and vowed will be “the most impactful in MLS as well.”
A collection of LAFC owners, local politicians – including Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti – MLS commissioner Don Garber and US Soccer president Sunil Gulati joined the supporters and media in attendance in watching or lifting their gold-plated shovels to break ceremonial ground on the project, which is scheduled to open in the spring of 2018.
But first, the LA Sports Arena will need to be torn down, as the new soccer-specific stadium will be built on the site, located next to the LA Coliseum. As Garber noted, it will be Major League Soccer's 20th facility built or renovated with soccer in mind.
And in the course of any such large construction project, nailing down an opening date nearly two years ahead of time is next to impossible.
“We’ll see how they do with the project,” LAFC president Tom Penn told reporters after the groundbreaking. “We’re on target for spring of 2018. This is an uncertain project, a lot has to go right, but God willing it will, safe and on time.”
http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016/08/23/lafc-owners-look-ahead-stars-fans-alike-flock-stadium-groundbreaking
Welcome to Major League Soccer.
