Los Angeles Clippers chairman Steve Ballmer is gearing up to host a star-studded celebration for the grand opening of the team’s new state-of-the-art arena, the Intuit Dome.
This highly anticipated event marks a significant milestone for the Clippers, who are moving into their new home in Inglewood, California.
Ballmer has enlisted an impressive lineup of celebrities to help commemorate the occasion, including pop sensation Meghan Trainor, actress Sophia Bush, and comedian Chelsea Handler. The festivities are set to take place on Thursday, and according to sources from Page Six, it promises to be an unforgettable evening filled with high-profile guests and dazzling entertainment.
The celebration will kick off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on the expansive 80,000-square-foot outdoor plaza of the Intuit Dome. Steve Ballmer will be joined by Gillian Zucker, CEO of Halo Sports and Entertainment, as they lead the ceremony alongside special guests such as Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts, Clippers star Kawhi Leonard, and head coach Tyronn Lue. This event will officially open the doors to the innovative concert and sports venue, which is poised to become a new landmark in the Los Angeles area.
Following the ribbon-cutting, the red carpet will roll out for the first time at the Intuit Dome, welcoming Trainor, Bush, Handler, and other notable figures from the entertainment, sports, and arts communities of Los Angeles. The venue, strategically located just south of the iconic SoFi Stadium, is expected to draw even more stars as the evening unfolds.
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The highlight of the night will be a spectacular performance by Grammy-winning artist Bruno Mars. The 38-year-old singer will christen the stage with a high-energy show, marking his first Los Angeles performance since 2018. Mars is also scheduled to perform again on Friday, giving fans an additional opportunity to experience his electric live performance.
Gillian Zucker, the Clippers’ president of business operations, expressed her excitement about Mars headlining the event in an interview with Variety. “We wanted a performer who was a showperson, someone who would really bring the building to life,” Zucker explained. She emphasized the unique features of the Intuit Dome, including the innovative halo scoreboard, interactive crowd experiences, and LED lights built into the seats, all of which are designed to create an unparalleled entertainment experience. “We wanted to make sure we had a performer who would take full advantage of all these features.”
The construction of the Intuit Dome began in September 2021, and the project represents a significant investment for the Clippers, who have long shared the Crypto.com Arena in Downtown LA. The team has reportedly spent $2 billion to bring this cutting-edge facility to life, setting the stage for a new era of Clippers basketball.
In addition to the arena’s technological advancements, Ballmer has been particularly enthusiastic about one feature: the bathrooms.
In a video shared on social media earlier this year, the former Microsoft CEO passionately highlighted the arena’s 1,160 toilets and urinals—three times the NBA average. “Toilets!” Ballmer exclaimed, emphasizing the importance of minimizing wait times and ensuring fans can quickly return to their seats. “We do not want people waiting around. We want them back to their damn seats.”
As the Clippers prepare to move into their new home, the Intuit Dome’s grand opening is set to be a night of celebration, innovation, and entertainment. With stars like Bruno Mars and a host of Hollywood’s elite in attendance, the event will not only mark the beginning of a new chapter for the Clippers but also solidify the Intuit Dome’s place as a premier destination in Los Angeles.
