Opening of new NFL stadium in Inglewood delayed to 2020

The Rams and Chargers will not move into their new stadium in Inglewood in 2019. The teams announced Thursday that construction complications will delay the stadium opening to 2020.

Excavation of the site, which formerly housed the Hollywood Park racetrack, started in November, but the teams said that weather delays in January, February and March have made it infeasible for the stadium to open for the 2019 NFL season, as scheduled.

Instead, the Rams will remain in the Coliseum that season and the Chargers will remain at Stub Hub Center in Carson.

The announcement could have far-reaching ramifications beyond some frustrating logistics issues for the two clubs. It could also mean Los Angeles losing out on hosting the Super Bowl in 2021.

By league rule, a new stadium must be open at least two full regular seasons to be eligible to host a Super Bowl.

But by delaying the Inglewood stadium’s opening by one year, that means the NFL might have to bend some rules to enable Los Angeles to host the Super Bowl in 2021 or lose the game all together.

“This is something the ownership will need to consider,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said. If so, that will mean the Rams requesting a waiver from the league and the league granting it.

Los Angeles was granted the 2021 Super Bowl last May soon after the Rams were approved for relocation to Los Angeles from St. Louis. At that point, the timeline for the new stadium’s opening was in 2019.

In a statement, the Rams said, “This new target gives us flexibility to accommodate any additional delays that may arise while still delivering an unparalleled experience upon opening.”

The Chargers also posted a statement on their website, and noted that the project’s 70-foot excavation hole had become filled with water during the recent rainfall.

A.G. Spanos, the Chargers’ president of business operations, said in the statement: “If getting it right means pushing back the completion date, then I think the extra year is well worth it. Construction is our family business, so we understand the challenges that come with a project of this magnitude.”

The Rams relocated from St. Louis in January 2016 and announced their intention to build a $2.6 billion sports and entertainment complex in Inglewood, with the 70,000-seat stadium as the centerpiece.

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