The state-of-the-art Intuit Dome opened its doors for the first time last night in Inglewood, California, but the high-tech equipment proved stubborn during its first live test.
Grammy winner Bruno Mars was the attraction on the opening night of the venue, which was set to host the first of two concerts. Although Mars was scheduled to take the stage at 8pm, the show was pushed back to just before 10pm after thousands of people were left waiting outside.
The construction of the arena, which cost an estimated $2 billion, was financed by Microsoft CEO and current Clippers owner Steve Ballmer. The technical problems were all the more surprising.
The smartphone access and opt-in facial recognition systems were not working, causing bottlenecks at entry and forcing staff to check digital tickets one by one. On social media, visitors complained about long queues, a lack of clear signage and no reliable Wi-Fi.
The arena also does not accept cash. To make purchases at concessions and retail stores, a payment method must be uploaded to the Intuit Dome app. This also caused some frustration.
However, once the show was underway, all was forgiven.
“Guys, we are part of California history right now,” Mars told an audience that included Jennifer Lopez, Angela Bassett, Courtney B. Vance, Ashton Kutcher and Simu Liu.
Mars thrilled everyone with his set and had an additional surprise in store for everyone: towards the end of the show, he brought Lady Gaga on stage to present their new duet “Die With a Smile”.
Mars has another show at the venue tonight.
Comedian Sebastian Maniscalco will perform at the arena on Saturday, followed by Mexican music icon Marco Antonio Solis on Sunday and Olivia Rodrigo on August 20 and 21.
Other acts on the arena’s schedule include: Twenty One Pilots on August 27-28, Slipknot on September 13-14, Usher on September 21, 22, 24 and 25, Weezer on October 11 and Billy Joel on October 12.
The Intuit Dome has been selected as the host venue for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game and will serve as the basketball stadium for the 2028 Summer Olympics.
