SoFi Stadium Fast Facts
How Much Did SoFi Stadium Cost to Build?
SoFi Stadium cost $5.5 billion to build, funded entirely through private investment by Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke. No public money was used. At the time of its opening in 2020, it was the most expensive stadium ever built, surpassing MetLife Stadium in New Jersey ($1.7 billion) by more than three times.
The cost reflects the full Hollywood Park campus development, not just the stadium building itself. The campus includes retail, residential, a hotel, an office park, and the YouTube Theater, all developed on the 298-acre former Hollywood Park racetrack site.
Key cost drivers include the translucent ETFE roof canopy (which covers 70,000 square feet), the Infinity Screen by Samsung (the largest videoboard in professional sports at around $120 million), 13 miles of LED ribbon boards throughout the building, and extensive underground infrastructure built to avoid impacting flight paths at nearby Los Angeles International Airport.
The stadium was also engineered to host the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Opening and Closing Ceremonies, adding requirements beyond a typical NFL facility. Construction ran from November 2016 through the summer of 2020 with Turner-AECOM Hunt as the general contractor.
Is SoFi Stadium Covered?
Yes, SoFi Stadium is covered. The stadium features a translucent ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) roof canopy that extends over the entire seating bowl, protecting fans from direct sun and rain. However, SoFi Stadium is not a fully enclosed domed stadium.
The sides of the stadium are open to the outside, which allows natural airflow through the building. This design gives the interior the atmosphere of an outdoor stadium while still providing overhead protection. The ETFE panels are semi-transparent, allowing natural light into the bowl without the full heat of direct sunlight.
In practical terms: you will not get rained on during most weather, but you will feel the LA heat on warm days and experience natural wind. The temperature inside is notably cooler than a fully open stadium on hot days but not air conditioned like a fully domed venue. Most fans find the environment comfortable across most of the NFL season.
When Was SoFi Stadium Built?
Groundbreaking. Construction begins in November on the former Hollywood Park racetrack site in Inglewood.
Foundation and underground infrastructure work. Engineers build below grade to avoid conflicting with LAX flight path restrictions that cap building heights in the area.
Steel superstructure rises. The distinctive arched roof frame and the cable-net system for the ETFE canopy begin taking shape.
Interior build-out. The Infinity Screen installation begins. Seating, suites, and club spaces take shape across all five levels.
Stadium completes. Opens September 8, 2020 for a Rams preseason game, initially without fans due to COVID-19 restrictions. Both the Rams and Chargers play the 2020 season without crowds.
First full-capacity games. Super Bowl LVI awarded to SoFi. Fans return for the 2021 NFL season.
Super Bowl LVI held on February 13. The Rams defeat the Bengals 23-20 in front of 70,048 fans at home.