INGLEWOOD, CA – The L.A. Forum, also known simply as The Forum, is reopening in a big way Jan. 15 after a $100 million remodeling project – with the kickoff show for the “History of the Eagles” tour, capped off with the world’s biggest record rotating on the roof. Along with hundreds of concerts, the storied venue has hosted NBA championships, Summer Olympics basketball and numerous movie shoots. It was acquired by the Madison Square Garden Company (MSG) in 2012, bringing the venue full circle in a way – it was designed by architect Charles Luckman, who also did Madison Square Garden.
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Located in a suburb just southwest of Los Angeles, The Forum is a large, multipurpose arena venue that opened on Dec 30, 1967. Designed by renowned architect Charles Luckman, who also did the Madison Square Garden, The Forum originally was the home for the NBA Los Angeles Lakers and NHL’s Los Angeles Kings who played in that arena until 1999, when they moved to the Staples Center. The Forum has also hosted NBA championships, Summer Olympics basketball, numerous movie shoots and hundreds of concerts over the years.
In terms of the latter, The Forum hosted some of the biggest acts in music history, including Cream’s 1968 farewell tour, Led Zeppelin, The Jackson 5, Elvis, Barbra Streisand, the Bee Gees, Kiss, Diana Ross, Queen, Fleetwood Mac, AC/DC, Nirvana, Phish, Prince and many more. In 2000, the venue was purchased by a large church, which occasionally made the space available for outside performances and tour rehearsals. The church discontinued services in 1999 and the facility was acquired by the Madison Square Garden Company (MSG) in 2012.
In mid-2013, MSG announced plans for a $100-million project to revitalize The Forum as a world-class entertainment venue, with renovations to the entire venue site, including the 40,000 square foot outdoor terrace surrounding the perimeter of the building. MSG partnered with financial giant Chase in the project, and as the presenting partner of The Forum, the venue’s new official name is “The Forum, presented by Chase.”
The rejuvenated Forum officially debuts January 15, opening The Eagles’ “History of The Eagles” tour. To mark the occasion, crews set up a super-sized replica of the band’s Hotel California LP on the roof – and yes, the entire disk, measuring 407 feet in diameter, spins – at a rate of 17 mph. (It’s not visible from the parking lot, but LAX travelers will be able to catch a glimpse.) Also slated for upcoming shows at are Justin Timberlake, Alejandra Guzmán, Imagine Dragons, “Paul Simon & Sting: On Stage Together” and the Kings Of Leon.
Said to be one of the country’s largest indoor performance venues, the interior will feature flexible seating, ranging from 17,500 seats to an option for converting to an 8,000-seat half-bowl arrangement, as well as boasting a huge general admission floor. A tinted glass wall separates the concessions area from the arena floor, ensuring fans do not miss a moment of the performance.
Production and touring personnel will also have a dedicated area that includes an exclusive dining space for road crews. Structurally, the venue will be updated with state-of-the-art, technically advanced support systems featuring a unique “sky deck” to accommodate the largest touring concerts, productions and events.
