$250M Transformation Of 76-Year-Old Veterans Memorial Stadium Begins

LONG BEACH, CA — After 76 years of football, graduations, motorcycle racing, roller derby, rugby and even the occasional film shoot, Veterans Memorial Stadium is beginning a $250 million transformation.

Long Beach City College held a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday for a new 285,453-square-foot Stadium and Athletic Sports Complex that will include a 10,000-seat outdoor stadium and a 2,500-seat indoor arena.

Construction began this month and the complex is expected to open in summer 2029, according to LBCC's announcement Wednesday.

The project will also include football and soccer fields, track and field facilities, basketball and volleyball courts, training and sports medicine facilities, classrooms, offices, concessions and a hall of champions.

"Veterans Memorial Stadium has been part of our community's fabric for more than 75 years, and as a former Viking football player, I know how personal this place is to so many of us," Long Beach Community College District Board of Trustees President Uduak-Joe Ntuk said.

"It has served as a gathering place for students, families, athletes, veterans, and the broader community."

A Stadium Bought For $1

Veterans Memorial Stadium opened in 1950 and was initially operated by the city of Long Beach. In 1987, the city sold it to Long Beach City College for $1. The stadium became home to the LBCC Vikings and Long Beach Poly football teams, but its history extended well beyond football.

Over more than seven decades, it hosted graduations, motorcycle races, roller derby, rugby matches, swap meets and antique markets and served as a backdrop for commercials and films. The new complex is being designed to pay homage to the look, feel and history of the original stadium while adding modern athletic and instructional facilities, LBCC said.

"This groundbreaking marks a major step forward in how we support our student-athletes at Long Beach City College," LBCC Superintendent-President Mike Muñoz said.

"This new complex will give our students access to modern athletic and instructional spaces designed to support their success both in competition and in the classroom."

New Complex Expected To Open In 2029

The project is being funded through Measure LB, an $850 million bond measure approved by Long Beach Community College District voters in 2016 to fund construction, renovations and repairs at LBCC campuses.

The new complex is also being designed to achieve LEED Gold certification, a sustainability standard intended to recognize buildings with reduced energy use and environmental impact.

When it opens in summer 2029, the complex will begin another chapter for a site that has served generations of Long Beach athletes, students and residents since 1950.