$2 billion Intuit Dome, opening in Inglewood next week, makes fan experience the star of the show

Inglewood is just about ready to celebrate another significant milestone — one that will continue to elevate the city’s international presence as a can’t-miss entertainment and sports venue.

The Intuit Dome, a $2 billion state-of-the-art basketball arena and concert venue that’s been in the works since 2021, will open with plenty of fanfare — including a show by pop icon Bruno Mars — on Thursday, Aug. 15.

Related: Inglewood’s Intuit Dome is poised to be the future of SoCal’s live entertainment

The cutting-edge facility, which boasts five basketball courts, an 86,000-square-foot practice and training center, a first-of-its-kind halo board, and much more, will serve as the Los Angeles Clippers’ headquarters, the team’s first-ever solo stomping grounds.

For years, the Clippers have shared space at Crypto.com Arena with the Lakers and the NHL’s Kings — often taking last priority in terms of game scheduling.

But the Intuit Dome’s opening is set to eliminate that competitive disadvantage, and help the Clippers establish themselves as force to be reckoned with the NBA scene.

Mars’ show at the Dome’s grand opening next week, though, will serve as a mere preview of what’s to come for the venue and Inglewood alike.

Chart-topping artists including Olivia Rodrigo, Future and Metro Boomin, Billy Joel and Usher are already on deck to perform at the Dome through the end of the year — and that’s not even counting sports events.

Aside from hosting the Clippers’ 2024-25 season starting in October, the Intuit Dome has also been tapped to host the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, which is expected to generate more than $350 million in economic impact for the region on its own, city officials said previously.

And that’s not the end for Inglewood — the Intuit Dome other major venues, including SoFi Stadium, will also play key roles in hosting major athletic competitions in the coming years, including the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics.

But it’s not just the athletes and the famous artists that will star at the Intuit Dome — the fans will, too.

Here’s a look at some of the Intuit Dome’s fan-first features sure to make the venue stand out in the minds of many.

The Halo Board

A central feature of the Intuit Dome — and, in fact, what the venue itself was designed and constructed around — is the first-of-its-kind Halo Board.

The closest comparison is perhaps the classic Jumbotron — or the similarly impressive, 1,000-ton Infinity Screen at nearby SoFi Stadium.

The Halo Board is the largest-ever doubled-sided halo display ever installed in an NBA-sized arena setting. It’s smaller than the 120-yard long, double-sided screen at NFL-sized SoFi, but the new, cutting-edge Intuit scoreboard boasts advancements that aim to connect fans deeper into the event experience.

The new screen is 44,000 square feet screen all told, consisting of 233 million LEDs. It would take more than 3,500 60-inch television screens to make up the size of the Halo Board, if you’re counting (or want to win a bar bet). It’s more than 600 feet in circumference and tops out at 519,000 pounds.

Related: The mixed bag of Inglewood’s renaissance: ‘stories of success, stories of despair’

The Halo Board was designed to ensure each of the 17,700 seats in the house — from the nosebleeds to courtside — have a perfect view of what’s happening on the court.

But it also boasts a slew of unique, interactive features set on engaging fans in completely new ways.

One feature, for example, will be the “Coach’s Corner,” which will show game statistics and analytics. But it can also track how fast players — and the referees — are running, how often the Clippers run certain plays, player bios, and more.

It can also measure how loud fans are, according to ESPN, and is equipped with t-shirt cannons to rocket free merch at fans sitting in the top of the arena.

“There’s truly no limit to what we can do with the Halo Board,” Becky Colwell, VP of Music and Events at Intuit Dome said previously. “The possibilities are endless. From showcasing artists’ visuals and interactive games that engage fans to streaming movies and much more, it’s designed to be a central part of the experience.”

Each seat in the Intuit Dome, in addition, is equipped with phone-charging ports and an interactive game control panel — which will allow fans to use their unique seat number to see how they stack up against each other on the Halo Board in real time.

The Wall!

The fan service doesn’t stop with the Halo Board, though.

The Intuit Dome also boasts a special section for Clippers’ fans dubbed The Wall — which consists of standing-room only section backed up by 51 rows of uninterrupted seating reserved just for the team’s supporters.

The Wall is meant to show off the Clippers’ home team advantage, to the extent that folks sitting in that section will not be permitting to wear jerseys or merch supporting any other NBA team, according to the Intuit Dome’s website.

Related: Clippers’ ‘Flagship’ store in Inglewood has first day

“This section is for Clippers fans only. If you choose to be a part of The Wall!, you (and your guests) can’t cheer for the opposing team or wear any gear that supports another NBA team,” the Clippers’ website said. “Break these rules and you’ll lose access to this section.”

There are myriad options for folks who want a seat in The Wall, ranging from single-game tickets to the Ultimate Wall Pass and season memberships.

Another perk for diehard Clippers’ fans is Flagship, the teams first independent retail store in the Intuit Dome Plaza.

The store features a hat wall and “Creation Station,” which allow fans to customize their hats and jerseys, alongside a basketball laser engraver.

But there’s plenty more to see and do at the Intuit Dome, whether it be admiring one of the six major public artworks installed throughout the venue, getting a taste of the Dome Dozen menu, or hunting to find your high school alma mater’s jersey framed and hung up somewhere in the venue —  there are 1,500 jerseys from California high schools on display already, and counting.

For more information about the Intuit Dome, visit intuitdome.com.