Crypto.com Arena set for $100m+ redevelopment project

Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena – formerly the Staples Center – and the adjacent L.A. LIVE Xbox Plaza are set for a nine-figure renovation project that will see an overhaul of hospitality and enhancements to the venue, entry and plaza areas.

Announced by owner AEG, the comprehensive slate of renovations is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2024. Crypto.com Arena, which is the home of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings and NBA’s Lakers as well as the Clippers – who are to move to the new Intuit Dome in Inglewood in 2024 – will remain open throughout the project.

The first phase of the redevelopment, including an expanded and reimagined Chairman’s Club, will be completed in time for the start of the 2022-23 NBA season in October. Two new LED screens and ribbon boards visible to the upper and lower bowl seating areas will be installed during this phase.

The second phase of the project will include a refresh of the arena’s Premium and Suite Level entrances, concourses throughout the venue as well as the locker rooms of the Kings and Lakers.

“The wide-ranging renovations to the arena and Xbox Plaza will provide fans with entirely new ways to experience their favourite sports and music events,” said Lee Zeidman, president of Crypto.com Arena, Microsoft Theater and L.A. LIVE.

“In addition to creating new and refreshed hospitality options and spaces on multiple levels throughout the arena, nearly all public and backstage areas of Crypto.com Arena will be included in this transformative project. When the wide-ranging renovations are completed, guests, players and fans of the Kings, Lakers and Sparks, and performers coming to Crypto.com Arena and L.A. LIVE will all experience new offerings.”

The new Chairman’s Club will provide select season ticket members and VIP guests with new benefits and experiences before, during, and after events. A redesigned and upgraded Impact Sports Bar & Grill on the Main Concourse, which will include new food and beverage menus, is also to be completed by October.

In phase two, the venue will benefit from a reimagined City View Terrace with flexible indoor-outdoor dining and entertainment experiences that looks out upon the downtown Los Angeles skyline.

Crypto.com Arena’s first-ever multi-level Tunnel Club will be completed, featuring new hospitality spaces and an exclusive Event Level viewing experience that offers select season ticket members and other VIP guests a personal backstage window to watch players and performers as they enter and exit their locker rooms. The arena’s first-ever Main Concourse suites will provide guests with premium seating’s closest view of the action on the court, ice or stage.

“Crypto.com Arena is part of the fabric of Los Angeles, and we are incredibly proud of the role it continues to play in creating some of the most memorable moments in sports and entertainment,” said Dan Beckerman, president and chief executive of AEG.

“Since its opening, we have invested hundreds of millions of dollars to ensure that the venue remains state-of-the-art, while consistently creating a world-class event and fan experience. The investment in these renovations demonstrates the ongoing commitment of AEG, the Lakers and the Kings to deliver the best experiences for all of our fans, partners, artists and teams.”

In addition to the renovations at Crypto.com Arena, the project will expand L.A. LIVE’s Xbox Plaza, connecting the outdoor gathering space with the arena. The renovation will include two new outdoor marquees featuring the latest in LED and video technology.

“For the past two decades, the Lakers and AEG have shared a vision of providing a premier experience to every guest who enters Crypto.com Arena and L.A. LIVE’s Xbox Plaza,” said Tim Harris, president of business operations at Los Angeles Lakers.

“Competing nightly in front of the most passionate fans in the NBA inside one of the most iconic venues in the world is something our organisation is incredibly proud of. This investment into expansive improvements and upgrades cements Los Angeles’ downtown arena as the pinnacle of entertainment for decades to come.”