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Los Angeles 2024 considering elevated track at historic Coliseum used for 1932 and 1984 Games

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A raised track at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is among ideas currently being proposed as part of the city’s bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.

First commissioned in 1921 to serve as a war memorial for local victims of World War One, the Coliseum hosted hockey, gymnastics, showjumping and athletics events as well as the Opening and Closing Ceremonies at Los Angeles 1932.

Fifty-two years later, it became the first venue to form the main stadium for two Summer Olympics, once again hosting athletics and Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

Renovation work is currently ongoing, with it hoped the venue will replicate that role for a third time if Los Angeles is awarded the 2024 Games.

The stadium is due to be used as the home of the Los Angeles Rams National Football League (NFL) franchise until the completion of their new stadium in Inglewood, due to be finished in 2019.

It will subsequently continue to house the University of Southern California (USC) collegiate team.

As it stands, however, there would not be room for a track to be installed between the American football field and the stands.

A raised floor could conseqeuntly be installed inside the stadium, sitting on columns and extending up to the 13th or 14th row of the stand.

This would be introduced on a temporary basis, taking around 16 weeks to build and around four to be removed.

Other aspects are currently being considered, such as having a warm-up track underneath the elevated track, or having hydraulic lifts rising up to bring athletes into the stadium.

A temporary pool is also set to be built at a new stadium due to house the Los Angeles Football Club.

It would be located close to the stands on one side of the pitch, with temporary stands big enough for 20 to 25,000 spectators to be installed on the other side.

The only completely new venue set to built from scratch is the canoe slalom course, organisers have said, which is due to be located in the Valley Cluster in Sepulveda Basin alongside equestrian, modern pentathlon and shooting venues.

Organisers plan to make use of the Velo Sports Center velodrome used at Los Angeles 1984.

The track will remain unchanged, although the stadium around it will rennovated to expand the seating from 1,500 to 6,500 capacity.

Los Angeles is locked in a four-horse for the Games with European rivals Budapest, Paris and Rome.

A final decision is set to be made by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at its Session in Lima in September 2017. 

  • By Nick Butler at the Los Angeles 2024 headquarters
  • Republished with permission insidethegames.biz

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