What the iconic venue represents about the past, present and future of the fan experience

Few people know the story behind the construction of the venue that opened its doors as the STAPLES Center October 17, 1999. The project involved a tight schedule and unexpected design changes. What started as 190 million dollars Project with a construction period of 22 months ended a $231 million World-class facility built in a record 18 months.

Wayne MelnykVice President of Major Projects at PCL Construction, served as general manager of the original STAPLES Center project.

“It remains one of my favorite projects to this day because it was an incredible achievement to achieve what we did,” says Melnyk. “It was one of those jobs where you know it’s crazy, but you also know you’re doing something great.”

Today, through a series of renovations, PCL Construction is helping to preserve the venue's legacy as one of the country's leading destinations for sporting and entertainment events Crypto.com Arena.

In honor of the 25th anniversary of the legendary city center Los Angeles As the arena opens its doors, PCL sports construction experts reflect on how the fan experience has changed and what's next for arenas across the country.

The emergence of smart sports venues:

Grab-and-go options with contactless payments are becoming increasingly popular at concession stands. Fans can scan their credit card upon entry, pick up their items and be automatically charged upon exit. Cell phone charging stations, high-speed internet and amenities tailored to the needs of social media-savvy generations are becoming a necessity in new and existing venues.

“This shift toward more technologically sophisticated and fan-centric arenas requires a seamless marriage of design and construction efforts,” he says Daniel Brownthe PCL construction manager, who takes over the management Crypto.com Arena Renovation Project.

Now serve vegan chili and sushi rolls:

The food and beverage offerings in sports arenas have undergone significant change in recent years, largely due to changing demographics and consumer expectations. Millennials and Generation Z expect venues to offer diverse dining options that accommodate different dietary restrictions. These upscale dishes are not brought in from a commercial kitchen, but are prepared on site in the arena.

“It used to be that concessions were one of the last components an owner thought about when building a new venue,” says Dale KogerVice President of PCL's Athletic Department. “Now that all visitors are expecting the diverse offering, we are telling owners that they need to hire their food and beverage staff before the design phase is complete so they can adapt the designs to the foodservice concepts.”

The Rise of Social Spaces and Suites:

For younger generations, the experience and social interaction in the arena are often more important than the actual sporting event. In response, many venues are removing traditional seating areas and making way for branded social gathering spaces. A current example of these modernized meeting and club spaces is the interior City View Terrace Crypto.com Arena, offering flexible indoor and outdoor dining and entertainment experiences with downtown views Los Angeles Skyline and the Arena bowl.rytpo.com Arena has been a pioneer in fan-centered design and technological innovation since its original construction in 1999. The ongoing renovation work CryptoThe .com Arena underscores AEG and PCL's commitment to ensuring the venue remains a beloved landmark for decades to come.

Further information about the construction of the Crypto.com Arena and to see a timeline of the venues' history-making moments, check out the full story on PCL.com.

About PCL Construction

PCL is a group of independent construction companies that operates nationwide the United States, CanadaThe Caribbean And Australia. As one of the largest contracting organizations in North AmericaPCL more than completes $7 billion Every year we work on projects that shape communities. The company's 100 percent employee ownership model promotes a culture of engagement with customers in the buildings, civil infrastructure, heavy industrial and solar sectors. With a strategic presence in more than 30 major centers, PCL's leadership teams continually drive innovation, set new standards of excellence and bring unparalleled expertise to every project. Watch us build PCL.com.

About AEG

Headquarters in Los Angeles, CaliforniaAEG is the world's leading sports and live entertainment company. The company operates in the following business areas:

• Music through AEG Presents, dedicated to all aspects of contemporary live music performance, including the production and promotion of global and regional concert tours, an extensive portfolio of clubs, theaters and other music venues, concerts and special events, and world-renowned festivals such as the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival ;
• Venues and Real Estate, which develops, owns and operates premier venues and major sports and entertainment districts Crypto.com Arena and LA LIVE, Uber place In Berlin and The O2 in London;
• Sports as the world's largest operator of high-profile sporting events and sports franchises, including the LA Kings, LA Galaxy and Eisbären Berlin;
• Global Partnerships, which oversees global sales and servicing of sponsorships, including naming rights, premium seating and other strategic partnerships.
• And Ticketing, which provides ticketing services to more than 400 customers worldwide, covering the entire entertainment spectrum, including sporting events, arena tours, music club festivals, rodeos and family events.

Through its global network of venues, portfolio of strong sports and music brands and integrated entertainment districts, AEG hosts more than 90 million guests annually. Further information about AEG can be found atwww.aegworldwide.com.

SOURCE PCL Construction