Rose Bowl gets over $1 million in federal funds for 2028 Olympic Games infrastructure upgrades
In two years, Pasadena's Rose Bowl Stadium will host the men's and women's Olympic soccer final matches, and a just-announced massive federal investment will help get the stadium ready for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
The stadium is over 100 years old, and Congresswoman Laura Friedman said a federal investment of $1.092 million will go towards infrastructure upgrades, specifically pipes that meet the gold standard.
The funds will modernize the water and wastewater systems at the Rose Bowl Stadium, improving water quality and offering better flow capacity and drainage.
"Now dealing with water pipes, with sewer, and with water may not sound very interesting, but if those things fail during a major event, it becomes really interesting, and not in a good way," Friedman said.
The congresswoman hailed the federal funds as a victory for locals and stadium attendees.
"These investments will make sure that we are Olympics-ready and will also relieve the burden of paying for this infrastructure from our local taxpayers, and from our ticket buyers."
She said what's below ground and in the walls is very important. "These pipes in this building are approaching 100 years old."
They carry drinking water and handle wastewater. "These assets have shown erosion, and they have presented a safety concern on a daily basis," Friedman said.
Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo said the stadium infrastructure project has been on the to-do list for quite some time. "The congresswoman took it up right away and now delivers great news."
"The Rose Bowl is not just America's stadium, it's the very heart and soul of the City of Pasadena and our region," Gordo said.
The Rose Bowl Stadium opened in 1922 and is recognized as a National Historic Landmark and a California Historic Civil Engineering Landmark
It has hosted five Super Bowls, the 1994 Men's World Cup, and the 1999 Women's World Cup, and in 2028, it will be the second venue in history to be used in three Olympic Games.
Jens Weiden, CEO of Rose Bowl Stadium, said, "We're consistently and constantly investing capital into this building to make sure it meets the needs of people and attendees that come here."
