June 22, 2016 COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The United States Olympic Committee today announced a record-setting participation for Olympic Day 2016, with 2,120 events scheduled in 1,503 communities across the country expected to engage more than 800,000 Americans in celebration of the Olympic Movement.

Olympic Day, celebrated globally on June 23, has been recognized each year since 1948 to commemorate the birth of the modern Olympic Games on June 23, 1894. An International Olympic Committee initiative, the mission of Olympic Day is to promote the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect – and the three Olympic Day pillars – move, learn and discover – around the world.

“With the Rio Games fast approaching, we are thrilled to see so many Team USA athletes, National Governing Bodies and Multi-Sport Organizations celebrating Olympic Day and promoting the values of Olympism to the next generation of Olympic and Paralympic athletes,” said USOC CEO Scott Blackmun. “The growth and popularity of Olympic Day underscore the important role that sport can play in the community, and we look forward to some great events this summer.”

In 2016, Olympic Day activities are being held on six continents with several thousand events worldwide and more than 160 participating National Olympic Committees.

LA 2024, the LA84 Foundation and the Foundation for Global Sport Development will co-host an Olympic Day event at the iconic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, where more than 500 young Angelenos will be able to rotate through eight Olympic and Paralympic sport stations, led by Olympic athletes, LA84 Foundation grantee programs, and local sport and adaptive programs.

“We’re honored to be able to celebrate the Olympic Movement with the youth of Los Angeles,” said Janet Evans, LA 2024 vice chair and director of athlete relations. “As a city with a ready-made connection to youth culture, Olympic Day is a unique opportunity to get a taste of what it means to inspire the next generation around the positive and powerful values of sport and Olympism.”

The U.S. Tennis Association is hosting the most Olympic Day events of any individual organization with 354 events planned at local courts across the country, followed by USA BMX, which is hosting 248 events. Forty-three National Governing Bodies and four High Performance Management Organizations and their affiliated clubs will host a total of 1,193 events in honor of Olympic Day.

“Many think that our window to celebrate the Olympic Movement occurs only once every two years,” said five-time Olympic medalist in swimming, John Naber. “By celebrating Olympic Day, we get to share our love of the Movement every year, and we also get to grow the size of our extended Olympic family.”

Olympic Day events in the U.S. are heavily supported by members of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic family, and the following member organizations have registered to participate in 2016 Olympic Day activities:

• Adaptive Sports USA (Formerly Wheelchair and Ambulatory Sports USA)
• Amateur Athletic Union
• American Legion Youth Activities
• BlazeSports America
• Boy Scouts of America
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America
• Catholic Youth Organization
• Community Olympic Development Programs
• Community Partners
• Disabled Sports USA
• Jewish Community Centers
• Maccabi USA
• National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
• National Association of Police Athletic League
• National Collegiate Athletic Association
• National Congress of State Games
• National Federation of State High Schools Association
• National Governing Bodies
• National Recreation and Parks Association
• National Senior Games Association
• Olympic Training Centers
• Paralympic Sport Clubs
• SHAPE America (Formerly AAHPERD)
• Special Olympics, Inc.
• U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Sites
• Underwater Society of America
• United States Air Force
• United States Army
• United States Association of Blind Athletes
• United States Coast Guard
• United States Marine Corps
• United States Navy
• United States Olympians and Paralympians Association
• US Orienteering Federation
• US Polo Association
• USA Dance
• USA Football
• USA Ultímate
• USOC Athletes’ Advisory Council
• YMCA of the USA
• YWCA of the USA

For more information on Olympic Day celebrations in the U.S. or to find an event, visit Team USA – Olympic Day, email: OlympicDay@usoc.org, or follow and join the social conversation using the #OlympicDay hashtag. Additional Olympic Day resources can be found on the International Olympic Committee’s website, Olympic Day.

From a stage framed by the burning Olympic torch atop the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum’s peristyle arch, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders held a rally Saturday, June 4th, saying that he is the Democrats’ best choice to defeat Republican Donald Trump this November.

Sanders addressed over 13,500 cheering supporters that covered the Coliseum’s Olympic Plaza on the final weekend before California Democrats go to the polls to elect 475 pledged delegates, June 7th.

“I hope that the delegates going to the Democratic National Convention understand that in virtually every state poll we do much better against Donald Trump than Secretary Clinton,” Sanders said. “If the delegates at the Democratic National Convention want to make sure we defeat Trump and defeat him badly we are the candidate to do that.”

Since mid-May he has drawn large crowds, more than 211,000 Californians to hear him at rallies, as at the Los Angeles Coliseum.

“Our campaign has the energy, the grassroots activism to make certain that in November we have a large voter turnout. And when people have something to vote for rather than just against, progressives and Democrats win.”

Thousands of faithful fans welcomed the Los Angeles Rams last April 28th at L.A. Live’s NFL Draft Party. Approximately four months following the NFL’s announcement that professional football would return to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the Rams and the City finally reunited after twenty-two years of being apart.

Video screens hovered above the L.A Live Plaza where fans enjoyed watching interviews of current and former Rams players from the wide screens, taking photos with the new Rams Cheerleaders, and also enjoyed a beer garden and food tents. This was most definitely a party atmosphere, covered in a sea of blue and gold Rams’ colors.

Optimism and excitement filled the air when Commissioner Roger Goodell, live from Chicago, took the podium and announced, “…with the number one pick in the 2016 NFL Draft the Los Angeles Rams select Jared Goff, quarterback from Cal.”

It’s official – the Los Angeles Rams are back and ready to face off against the Dallas Cowboys in a pre-season game on August 13th at the Coliseum.

If it’s even more possible, the summer of 2016 is looking a lot brighter for Los Angeles.

 

To provide a safer environment for the public and significantly expedite guest entry into the venue, the University of Southern California and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum will implement a new clear bag policy this year that limits the size and type of bags that may be brought into the Coliseum for all events.

The clear bag policy affects the type and size of the bags permitted into the stadium — not the items (keys, makeup, combs, phones, wallets, and credit cards) that you would normally bring to a game. Guests can still carry these items in their pockets. Guests will also be allowed to openly carry a blanket or jackets into the stadium, though they will be subject to search.  For the fastest way to enter the stadium, we strongly encourage guests to not bring any type of bags, but if you must, outlined below are the specific types of bags that will be allowed inside the venue:

• One bag that is clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and does not exceed 12” by 6” and 12” or
• A one-gallon clear plastic storage bag (Ziploc bag or similar).
• In addition to one of the clear bags noted above, guests may also carry in a small clutch bag or purse approximately the size of a hand, with or without a handle or strap.
• An exception will be made for medically necessary items after proper inspection.

Prohibited bags include, but are not limited to: purses larger than a clutch bag, coolers, briefcases, backpacks, fanny packs, cinch bags, luggage of any kind, oversized seat cushions with pockets or metal structures, computer bags and camera bags or any bag larger than the permissible size.

These measures are designed to promote public safety while encouraging guests to limit the items they bring into the venue to create a more efficient screening and entry process.  We ask that all items are visible when entering the venue.  The fewer items that are concealed, the quicker the process becomes.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Why did the Coliseum adopt this policy?

The University and the Coliseum are constantly reviewing stadium policies and security procedures and ways to make our venues safer. Unfortunately, world events, such as the attacks on venues in Paris as well as incidents closer to home in San Bernadino, have made sense to adjust our policy to enhance public safety.  The clear bag policy is designed to make stadium access more efficient by limiting the size and style of bags carried into the stadium.

Are other events limiting bags?

Yes. In fact, some like the University of Michigan, Penn State, and Michigan State University do not permit any bags. The University of Arizona has adopted a similar policy.  The policy is the same at all NFL venues and similar bag restrictions and entrance procedures are in place at MLB, NBA, NHL and other special event venues.

How does the new policy improve public safety?

There will be a secondary perimeter around the stadium where security personnel will check for prohibited items or bags being carried toward the stadium so those situations can be corrected immediately. This establishes a protected buffer area for fans in at queues for stadium entry. Prohibited bags will be turned away. Any prohibited bag inside the second perimeter will be highly visible and more quickly resolved.

The clear bag is easily and quickly searched and greatly reduces faulty bag searches. It also supports the Department of Homeland Security’s “If You See Something, Say Something” campaign.

How does this make it more convenient for fans?

This will enable us to move fans through our security check points much faster. A standard size bag eliminates the need for bag templates to check bag sizes. It will make the stadium’s job much easier, allowing staff to be more efficient and effective in checking bags that are brought into the stadium. There will be less time spent standing in lines at the stadium gates and fans will be able to be in their seats well before kickoff. Fans also will enjoy an improved sense of safety. Shorter lines mean fewer hassles.

Do I have to purchase a bag from the Coliseum?

No, there are a variety of options, including a clear 12″ by 6″ by 12″ bag with no commercial identification or an inexpensive Ziploc bag that fans can bring from home. In addition, fans may carry their own small clutches. For fans though who wish to purchase logo bags, they will be available.

How many bags can each person bring into the stadium?

One large clear bag – either a one-gallon Ziploc style bag or the 12″ by 6″ by 12″ clear bag – plus a small clutch. The larger clear bag must be a standard 12″ by 6″ by 12″ made of clear PVC vinyl and is easily searched. The one-gallon Ziploc bag is readily available, inexpensive and easily searched. The small clutch allows privacy for small personal items and also is easily searched.

Can fans carry cameras, binoculars, smart phones or tablets separately from what they put in a clear bag?

Yes. Binoculars or a phone or camera can be carried into the stadium so long as it is not in its own bag. This is not a restriction on items that fans have been able to bring into the stadium. It is only a restriction on the type of container used to carry items.

Are seat cushions allowed to be carried into the stadium?

Single layer seat cushions may be carried into the stadium. Large seat cushions that have pockets, zippers, compartments, or metal structures are not permitted. Clear seat cushions and seat pads without pockets, zippers, compartments, or covers are permitted.

What about bringing blankets in cold weather?

Fans will be able to bring blankets by tossing them over a shoulder or arm. They can be easily screened carrying a blanket into the stadium.

What happens if I show up at the gate with a bag that is not permitted?

Fans carrying bags that do not meet the criteria will be turned away from the stadium before they reach the gates.

If I have certain items that I need to bring into the stadium for medical reasons and they won’t fit in the clear bag, what do I do?

Gate Supervisors will allow screening of these bags and medically necessary items.

Are all purses prohibited?

No, we are not banning all bags. Small clutch purses, with or without a handle or strap, are permitted along with either the 12″ by 6″ by 12″ clear tote bag or the one-gallon freezer bag. This should enable you to carry the same items you have in previous years and speed entry into the stadium for all fans because it will take less time to screen bags. Shorter lines means fewer hassles. We encourage fans not to bring any bags, but have created a policy that balances fan needs with improved public safety and convenience.

Do I have to put everything I’m carrying into the permissible bags?

No. We are limiting only the type of bags carried into the stadium, not items that you normally bring to a game. Therefore, you can carry in your pockets or jacket keys, makeup, feminine products, comb, phone, wallet, credit cards, etc., if you choose not to put them in a clear bag or clutch. And you can carry a blanket over your arms, and binoculars and/or camera around your neck or in your hands without the case. You can use the clear bag and clutch to carry other items. You will continue to have the flexibility to bring a wide variety of approved items into the stadium. Every member of your family may carry in a permissible bag.  They key is to not conceal items inside carrying cases, extra bags or bulky containers.

What about diaper bags?

Diapers and wipes can be carried in a clear bag. Each member of a family, including children, would be allowed to carry an approved clear bag and a clutch purse into the stadium. If this does not accommodate all of your needs, please see a Gate Supervisor for proper inspection at stadium entrance gates.  Always remember hearing protection for infants and young children.

If I have special medical equipment I need to have with me at all times, where do I put that?

An exception will be made for medical necessary items after proper inspection at stadium entrance gates.  Ask for a Gate Supervisor.

“The Dump That Jumps!”, the affectionate nickname Bruce Springsteen gave the 56-year-old Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena was prophetic as over 45,000 die-hard fans recently celebrated with three memorable concerts from “The River” tour. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band gave sold-out, jam-packed performances at the Sports Arena on March 15, 17 and 19. The first two shows lasted well over 3 hours, and almost 4 hours on the third night, lasting just 5 minutes short of midnight.

The Los Angeles Times wrote about the March 19th performance which rocked and rolled the Sports Arena to its very foundation and, is the last rock ‘n’ roll concert scheduled before the iconic Los Angeles landmark closes its doors forever.

Los Angeles Times, Bruce Springsteen’s four-hour finale at the L.A. Sports Arena: A fitting ending to “The Dump That Jumps”

The three March 2016 concerts marked 34 performances by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band in the Sports Arena since 1980 and showed why Springsteen also called it “the joint that don’t disappoint!”

 

The Coliseum has a unique connection to the veterans of the United States Armed Forces for being dedicated and rededicated at various times over the years to recognize the brave men and women that served our country. Upon completion in 1923, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum was originally dedicated as a Los Angeles County memorial to World War I veterans. After World War II, the Coliseum was rededicated to both wars by Governor Earl Warren on Memorial Day 1946. Not everyone was happy with combining the two wars in one memorial so plans were developed to have a separate WWII Memorial in Exposition Park.

In 1953 approval was granted for a memorial patterned on the famous photograph of the flag raising at Mount Surabachi on Iwo Jima, and its location was to be the Figueroa Street entrance to  Exposition Park. For reasons lost to history (perhaps the fact that the United States Marines were about to construct a monument with the same imagery in Washington, DC), the Park memorial never materialized. However, when the Sports Arena was built in Exposition Park and opened in 1959, it became the City memorial to WWII and the Korean War. In 1966, it was rededicated to include the Vietnam Conflict. The Coliseum was once again referred to as the County WWI memorial.

In 1968, top Great War Air Ace Eddie Rickenbacker headlined a Veterans Day ceremony at the Sports Arena. Though no text exists of his remarks, this ceremony was apparently when the Coliseum was rededicated, but not just to LA County’s war veterans, but to “…all those who served in World War I.” This national designation is significant as it is one of only a handful of large scale memorials in the United States that seeks to encompass the entire Great War generation. A year later General Omar Bradley was the featured speaker to give recognition to the 50th anniversary of the war’s end as the current plaque placed on the Memorial Coliseum was unveiled.

The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum seeks to remember its heritage, not only as a stadium of considerable athletic and human achievement but, as a venue that pays tribute to those who answered the nation’s call nearly one hundred years ago. May the Torch of Freedom always burn bright.

To learn about the U.S. World War One Centennial Commission, its education programs, and its commemorative events, click HERE.

 

January 15, 2016 marked the 50th anniversary of the first Super Bowl played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. In advance of February 2nd’s upcoming Super Bowl 50, the NFL Network aired the historic game that was broadcast live on January 15, 1967. The famous 1967 Super Bowl I, between Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs, was played for the first time since its original live broadcast on CBS and NBC in 1967.

The NFL says this is the only known film from Super Bowl I that they were able to put together from long lost footage:

“In an exhaustive process that took months to complete, NFL Films searched its enormous archives of footage and were able to locate all 145 plays from Super Bowl I from more than a couple dozen disparate sources,” the league said in a statement. “Once all the plays were located, NFL Films was able to put the plays in order and stitch them together while fully restoring, re-mastering, and color correcting the footage.”

The 50-year-old game received high-tech treatments of film enhancements, modern broadcast graphics and social media interaction. The film itself includes sound from the great Packers coach Vince Lombardi and, a group of commentators discussing how pieces of the Super Bowl I videotapes were lost and finally re-assembled. NFL Network’s Chris Rose, Steve Mariucci and Terrell Davis ran analyses from former Packer stars of the 1960s era such as Jerry Kramer and Dave Robinson, who both played in the game..

The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is proud for having hosted the first Super Bowl game, won by the Packers 35-10.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will play March 15th and 17th, 2016 at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, as announced by the release of the band’s The River Tour 2016 schedule. The shows will be a full performance of “The River” with additional songs. This will be the final two rock and roll shows in the history of the 56-year old Memorial Sports Arena before it must permanently close its doors.

“It is fitting that Bruce play the final rock-show before the Arena closes,” said Joe Furin, General Manager of the Sports Arena. “He is the most illustrious performer in a long line of A-Listers having performed at the Sports Arena. His Los Angeles shows are legendary and the fans are in for a special treat as the band returns once again to what he famously called the “Dump that Jumps.”

Thirty-six years after the first 1980 The River Tour appearance, Springsteen returns one more time to add to his list of 36 concerts played at both the Memorial Sports Arena and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum before a cumulative 846,000 fans.

The Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena opened its doors in 1959 by then Vice President Richard M. Nixon, and was dedicated to the memory and recognition of those who served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. For almost six decades the Memorial Sports Arena hosted its biggest and best diverse events, from the 1960 Democratic National Convention where John F. Kennedy accepted the Democratic party candidacy for the U.S. Presidency, to nine professional sports teams (including the Los Angeles Lakers, Kings and Clippers), two collegiate basketball teams (USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins) and the 1984 XXIII Olympiad Boxing Competition, plus appearances by notable sports and entertainment superstars and performers such as Cassius Clay, Andre the Giant, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, the Los Angeles Invitational Track Meet, Pink Floyd, Madonna, Michael Jackson, The Grateful Dead, U2, ACDC, Pearl Jam and Black Sabbath. The Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena brought the best of entertainment and sports to Los Angeles for over 56 years.

Tickets to The River Tour go on sale December 11.

Recipients of the AIA|LA 25-Year Award Include the Games of the XXIIIrd Olympiad

The American Institute of Architects Los Angeles (AIA|LA) mines “Retro/Future” for its 2015 design awards season, honoring architects, built environment leaders, and cultural figures who remake the city’s possibilities by reconsidering existing landscape and ideas. This reimagining of past to serve what lies ahead, links the 2105 Presidential Honorees. They are:

♦  25-Year Award: Games of the XXIIIrd Olympiad, Los Angeles
♦  Emerging Practice: Omgivning Architects – Karin Liljegren, AIA; Principal, Omgivning
♦  Design Advocate: Alissa Walker
♦  Educator Award: Sarah Lorenzen, AIA; Associate Professor and Chair, Cal Poly Pomona
♦  Community Contribution: Dana Cuff, Director, cityLAB
♦  Honorary AIA|LA: Aaron Paley, President, Community Arts Resources
♦  Building Team: The Hercules Campus at Playa Vista
♦  Gold Medal: Steven Ehrlich, FAIA

“From practitioners to educators, each honoree advances our profession and the city in which we all live,” said AIA|LA President Ted Hyman, FAIA. “What is particularly exciting this year, is the diversity of the honorees and the scale of the projects. There is also an overriding optimism in the work that is being produced.”

Conferred by the AIA|LA Board of Directors, the Presidential Honoree program recognizes excellence in design, and individuals whose passion, talent and dedication make an undeniable contribution to Los Angeles. Presidential Honorees are bestowed in conjunction with the chapter’s annual design awards.

ABOUT THE AIA|LA DESIGN AWARDS
Recognizing excellence in design, the AIA|LA Design Awards and Next LA Awards are prestigious honors bestowed on Los Angeles-based architects and practices that qualify for AIA|LA membership. The organization is one of the top three largest American Institute of Architects chapters in the United States. Submissions were reviewed by a select group of architects, fellows, critics, professors and theorists, who formed a jury that represented the best in the design field.

PHOTO ABOVE: Paul Senzaki, AIA, (center) and Paul Prejza (right) accept the 2015 AIA|LA Presidential Honoree 25 Year Award presented to the Games of the XXIIIrd Olympiad in Los Angeles from AIA|LA President Ted Hyman, FAIA (at far left). photo: David Lena