Feds award $1M for Rose Bowl upgrade ahead of Olympics

By Chris Woodward
The Center Square

The Rose Bowl is getting infrastructure upgrades ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Just over $1 million in federal funds will go toward water and sewer pipes.

U.S. Rep. Laura Friedman, D-Los Angeles County, is thrilled. She called it a win for Pasadena, the Los Angeles County city where the Rose Bowl is located.

“This will bring federal dollars back to California that would most likely be spent somewhere else in the country,” Friedman told The Center Square. “And this will relieve the burden on local taxpayers to pay for very necessary things for the Rose Bowl.”

Because of these upgrades, Friedman said there will be improved drinking water quality, better flow capacity and drainage to eliminate backups and maintenance problems, upgraded wastewater systems, and more reliable infrastructure.

Friedman added that the improvements are inside walls and underground, but that does not mean they are not important for a stadium that is 104 years old.

“You all know what happens when the water doesn’t work at your home,” said Friedman. “Now imagine that happening during a major sporting event. This is something that is necessary.”

The infrastructure upgrades come amid other improvements at the Rose Bowl. Examples include a new seating section to better accommodate today’s concert and event-goers. This is being paid for with separate funds from the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation, which receives private donations.

Friedman recommended that anyone who has not been to the Rose Bowl recently to return and see this “very loved” amenity in the area.

“The city of Pasadena owns that stadium and pays for it as do donors and people who grew up going to the Rose Bowl, people who played there, people who live in the area, so it’s something that the community cares deeply about,” said Friedman. “Let me also remind people that during the Eaton Fire, the Rose Bowl was our public safety staging location because there aren’t many areas where you can put hundreds of fire trucks and ambulances. And this is the place in that region to host public safety during a national emergency, so this will also certainly help with its ability to function as an emergency staging area.”

Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo did not respond to The Center Square’s request for comment.

Construction of the then horseshoe-shaped stadium was completed in 1922 with a seating capacity of 57,000. It was named The Rose Bowl in 1923.

The 2028 Summer Olympics will mark the third time that the Rose Bowl has been used for the games. The other times were the 1932 Summer Olympics and the 1984 Summer Olympics.