LA Clippers celebrate major milestone at Inglewood’s Intuit Dome
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - On what was another sunny day in Southern California, Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer’s smile could be seen all the way from Paul George’s hometown of Palmdale.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Clippers held a ceremony in Inglewood to celebrate the raising of the final steel beam at their soon-to-be home, the Intuit Dome. The name derives from the organization’s partnership with the software company, Intuit. The major milestone symbolizes a sign of hope and what’s in store for the future of the franchise.
Gillian Zucker, LA Clippers President of Business Operations, said during the ceremony that one of the many things the beam represents is the work done by thousands from the designers to the construction workers. She added that 73% of those putting in the work to make Intuit Dome’s vision become a reality are people of color, mainly from Inglewood and surrounding areas.
Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts fought for the Clippers to call Inglewood home. With it being close to SoFi Stadium and the Kia Forum, he's on a mission to make the city the "entertainment capital of the world."
RELATED: 'Our own identity': Los Angeles Clippers break ground on new arena in Inglewood
There’s undeniable excitement for fans, coaches, players and staff. Now, the Clippers are one step closer to finally having their own identity to separate themselves from the other and more celebrated team down the hall at their current home in downtown Los Angeles.
Steve Ballmer poses with the players of the Los Angeles Clippers at the Intuit Dome on March 7, 2023. (KTTV Kelli Johnson)
"It’s a huge deal to get something of your own, especially when you never considered having it. You always had to share something," said longtime Clipper fan, Dwayne Logan. "Being a Clipper fan, you think ‘we could lose this’ at the last minute just like the game or a player."
Dwayne Logan at a Clippers pre-season game in Seattle.
The LA native and 30-year-old was destined to bleed red and blue. His great-uncle moved from Oklahoma to San Diego in the 1960s and became a Clippers fan the day he arrived in Southern California. Thus, the Logans officially became a Clipper family and have carried on that loyalty for six decades and counting.
Dwayne Logan at a Clippers game with his girlfriend.
He grew up going to the games with his parents and liked the "underdog aspect of things." This season, he became a season ticket holder on his own.
Darian Vaziri, 24, is also a fellow lifelong fan. His life is dedicated to sports and in addition to his beloved Clippers, he vlogs about the history of the NBA.
Vaziri worked for the Rams last season and with the new arena’s proximity to SoFi Stadium, he saw the progress in development first-hand.
Darian Vaziri outside the Crypto.com Arena.
On Tuesday, March 7, the Los Angeles Clippers celebrated the Steel Topping ceremony at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (KTTV: Kelli Johnson)
"Every single week I saw the progression being made. From the empty construction site to the roof coming in it’s like…wow. This is really happening. We’re not going to be at the Staples Center much longer."
The arena is now recognizable from those in the sky flying into Los Angeles International Airport, which is roughly three miles away.
For many Angelenos, the Crypto.com Arena will always be Staples Center.
Going back to the groundbreaking ceremony in Sept. 2021, Ballmer said the $1.2 billion arena was built with the fans in mind and will deliver an electric atmosphere based on how it’s constructed. Ballmer toured and drew inspiration from the best stadiums and arenas in the nation such as the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta and Salt Lake City’s Vivant Arena.
It's designed so fans can "get close to the action," Ballmer said Tuesday. "We want people to get rowdy and make some noise," he said.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
- Inglewood Coalition, City, make pitches to judge over proposed arena
- Inglewood City Council gives final approval for future home of Los Angeles Clippers
The Intuit Dome, which was designed to create an intimate and intense fan experience is set to include:
- "The Wall": 51 rows of uninterrupted seats
- A two-sided halo scoreboard with an acre of LED lighting
- An 80,000-square-foot outdoor plaza surrounding a full-size outdoor basketball court
- Courtside cabanas
- Backstage bungalows
- Halo suites
- 1,160 toilets and urinals
The Intuit Dome is set to open next fall, ahead of the 2024-25 season. The icing on the cake and the focus at hand will be the Clippers being able to hang a championship banner inside their new home.