First published in the Nov. 17 print issue of the Pasadena Outlook.
The iconic Rose Bowl Stadium recently turned 100 years old, after having first opened in the fall of 1922.
It has been the home to some of the country’s and world’s most significant sporting and musical events.
The 100th birthday celebration featured guided stadium tours and culminated as other historic Los Angeles landmarks lit-up gold to celebrate the Rose Bowl’s centennial birthday. Among the Southland participants were Los Angeles International Airport, City Hall, Union Station, SoFi Stadium, Banc of California Stadium, L.A. Memorial Coliseum, Pasadena City Hall, Dignity Health Sports Park and, of course, the Rose Bowl.
Millions of visitors have walked through the Stadium’s tunnels over the years, known well beyond simply being the home to the Tournament of Roses’ Rose Bowl Game. It has become a gathering place for the global and local communities to enjoy live entertainment, international sporting events and monthly flea markets. It also serves the San Gabriel Valley as one of the region’s top recreational spots.
“The year-long Rose Bowl Centennial Celebration has been in the planning stages for several years, and there is no way this milestone would have been possible without support from our tenants, clients, partners, donors, staff and fans,” said Jens Weiden, CEO of the Rose Bowl Stadium. “The stadium helped put Pasadena on the map and it’s an integral part of our local community. We look forward to continuing on with the work of ensuring that America’s Stadium is around for another century.”
The Rose Bowl Stadium has played host to five NFL Super Bowls, two Olympic Games (with one on the way), and both the Men’s and Women’s FIFA World Cups. America’s Stadium became the official home in 1982 for the UCLA football team. The stadium has welcomed musical acts including the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Coldplay, Taylor Swift, Kenney Chesney and BTS. Brookside Golf Course has also hosted music festivals including This Ain’t No Picnic, Cruel World, Palomino and Head in the Clouds.
The Centennial Celebration has also highlighted the importance of continuing to conserve America’s Stadium as a National Historic Landmark. Working in tandem with the Rose Bowl Institute and the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation, the nonprofit arms of the venue, the history of the stadium will be preserved and taught to future generations through the development of educational programs. Keeping traditions alive is imperative to ensuring that the Rose Bowl welcomes millions more over the next century.
