Rose Bowl’s Lasting Legacy Campaign Kicks Off Two-Phase Fundraising for $80 Million in Upgrades

Rose Bowl stadium leadership formally announced the “what” of their 2024-2029 Lasting Legacy campaign on Monday.

On Tuesday evening, they detailed the “how and why” of the $80 million campaign to “preserve and protect” the iconic stadium’s history and future at a kickoff reception for the campaign’s next set of improvements.

The planned two-phase (2024-2026 and 2027-2029) fundraising campaign will support eight infrastructure projects—some of which are already completed—from new standing areas and stronger wifi and cell service to a new, larger videoboard.

All of the improvements are due to be completed in 2028, when Los Angeles will host the Olympics.

But why now?

“This campaign makes sense right now,” said Rose Bowl Chief Executive Officer Jens Weiden, “because the RBOC (Rose Bowl Operating Company) is in a very good position.”

“We’ve been able to balance our budget and, coming out of Covid,” he continued, “there were questions about the stadium and its future and whether it would be solvent.”

Weiden explained that the Rose Bowl “worked really hard to get to a place where not only do we have a balanced budget, we also now are putting dollars into capital projects inside the stadium.”

The Rose Bowl Stadium is unique among stadiums in the US in that it’s owned by the City and its residents. The Rose Bowl Operating Company (RBOC) manages its operations through a board of directors appointed by the city council, along with a representative from the Tournament of Roses, UCLA and the City Manager. The Legacy Foundation serves as a privately funded non-profit to support the stadium.

Much of the campaign ‘s heavy lifting is being done by the Rose Bowl’s Legacy Foundation, which fundraises on the stadium’s behalf. Since its launch with 20 members in 2010, the Legacy Foundation support base has grown to nearly 5,000 members nationwide since its founding in 2010.

“We believe these eight projects are the best ones for (the Foundation) to go out with, and to be successful,” said Weiden. “And it’s proven to be right. They’ve fundraised, they’ve already completed the funding for six of the eight projects, and now they’re laser focused on these last two projects, which are the video board and new seating on the east and the west.”

Weiden added that Rose Bose operations is now putting “millions of dollars a year away” for preventative maintenance, along with net dollars for other capital projects, whether it be concession stands or concrete or seismic.

As Mayor Victor Gordo told the gathered audience of Rose Bowl supporters, “Great cities don’t look back in regret when it comes to their treasures. And Pasadena’s very heart and soul is represented right here in this city, in this stadium.

“When this stadium was initially constructed,” said Gordo, “there were fewer than 40,000 people living in this city. Think about that. They built a stadium that fit nearly three times the population of the entire city. And so when I say this is the heart and soul of the city, I mean they built this stadium because people knew that to be a great city, you needed a great venue.

“You need somewhere to welcome the world,” he added. “And that’s what the Rose Bowl has done. That’s what the Rose Bowl continues to do.”

“We are as popular as we’ve ever been when it comes to music and soccer,” Weiden noted, standing in the east locker room following the presentation. “The Rose Bowl game is in the College Football Playoff Series, and so, right now is the time when we’re healthy and when things are going well, to go out and look forward.”

Added Weiden, “Our tenants will be here through 2044. Now is the time to make this building perfect for our tenants and for all the people that come here.”