Rose Bowl Stadium Upgrades

The Rose Bowl, a historic sports stadium in Pasadena, has been an iconic sports and entertainment venue and local economy catalyst for over a century, hosting major events, including five Super Bowls, FIFA World Cup finals, headliner concerts, two Olympic Gold medal matches, and the annual Rose Bowl Game for which it’s named. With changes in college football and major events ahead, including the LA 2028 Summer Olympics, the stadium is undergoing an $80 million renovation to modernize the venue and preserve its historic legacy, while ensuring its lasting impact and future success.

Gensler worked with the Rose Bowl Operating Company and the Historic Resource Group to ensure the renovations didn’t diminish the historic character of the nearly 90,000 seat stadium. The design will be expanded between two phases: Phase one includes a student-safe standing area (completed in 2023) and a $20 million field-level premium South End Zone Field Club with room for 900 fans to be completed in 2026. Phase two will introduce a new video board, reduce capacity from 89,702 to approximately 72,000 seats, increase legroom on the east and west sides of the stadium, and add new aisles to improve movement throughout.

The renovations are part of the Rose Bowl Stadium’s Lasting Legacy Campaign and will enhance the fan experience while preserving the venue’s infrastructure for future generations and boosting its impact by continuing to drive economic growth in Los Angeles County.