Work on major stadia set to open in the US this year is continuing despite the ongoing restrictions put in place by the coronavirus outbreak.
SoFi Stadium (pictured) in Los Angeles is set to become the new home of the Rams and Chargers NFL teams. All Californians have been ordered to stay at home to reduce the spread of the virus but this will not apply to individuals working on the construction of the 70,000-seat stadium.
SoFi Stadium is due to open in July with two Taylor Swift concerts before debuting as the home of the Rams and Chargers next season.
The Los Angeles Times newspaper reports that work is set to continue as normal at the stadium following Governor Gavin Newsom’s order.
In a letter to county supervisor Kathryn Barger that was reported by the Times, Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts Jr said: “The State order is intended to ‘establish consistency across the State’ and provides for the ‘continuity of operation of the federal critical infrastructure sectors, critical government services, schools, childcare, and construction, including housing construction.’”
Butts said in the letter that the City of Inglewood has put in place social distancing measures and handwashing sites to limit the spread of the virus, with anyone feeling sick having been ordered to stay at home.
The other major NFL venue scheduled to open this summer is Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium, which will be the new home of the Raiders.
Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak has ordered that all hotel-casino properties in Las Vegas shut down for 30 days but the Allegiant Stadium construction project will be able to continue as normal.
Work on the 65,000-seat stadium is due to finish on July 31 and officials are confident that the timeline will not be affected by the coronavirus outbreak.
Las Vegas Stadium Authority chairman Steve Hill told the Las Vegas Review-Journal newspaper: “Although we don’t have any experience with the coronavirus, I cannot envision a situation where the coronavirus would impact the construction of the stadium.”
Meanwhile, the finishing touches are being made at Globe Life Field, the new home of the Texas Rangers Major League Baseball team, which had been due to open earlier in the month with a Chris Stapleton concert.
The Rangers should be playing their first exhibition game at the stadium today (Monday) but the suspension of the new MLB season has pushed the opening date back.
The installation of the stadium’s playing surface was the final major piece of work that required completing before the ballpark can open its doors. The opening date of the stadium remains unclear amid the developing situation relating to the coronavirus.
Image: SoFi Stadium
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