The ‘Badshah’ of Hindi cinema Shahrukh Khan has now achieved a historic achievement in the world of sports. The Knight Riders franchise co-owned by Shah Rukh Khan has unveiled the ultra-modern and lavish LA Knight Riders Cricket Ground in Pomona (Los Angeles), California. Designed keeping in mind the international standards, this spectacular venue is fully equipped to provide a world-class experience to both players and spectators. With an aim to take cricket in America to new heights, the stadium features state-of-the-art facilities to impress cricket lovers. Let’s take a look at the cost of constructing this stadium.
**How much did it cost to build the stadium?**
A huge amount of money has been invested in building this grand cricket stadium in Fairplex Pomona, Los Angeles. Shah Rukh Khan’s Knight Riders Group has invested approximately ₹200 crore (approximately $21 million) in the project. Extensive work was carried out to ensure that the ground complied with the strict rules and standards of the International Cricket Council (ICC). During construction, approximately 32,000 metric tons of soil was excavated to completely level and shape the grounds, resulting in this dazzling, world-class arena.
**How grand is Shahrukh Khan’s stadium?**
The pitch is the heart of any cricket ground and special attention has been paid to this aspect. Eight premium natural grass pitches have been prepared in the central section of the ground. These pitches have been designed as per ICC international rules so that players experience world-class bounce and turn during major tournaments. Additionally, the stadium has a highly advanced drainage system that allows water to drain away quickly, allowing play to resume quickly even after heavy rain.
ICC-standard pitches
The stadium is designed to host high-profile matches under floodlights at night in addition to day games. To facilitate this, twelve state-of-the-art floodlight towers 120 feet high have been installed across the site. The powerful lights installed on this huge tower will ensure daylight-like illumination of the grounds even after dark.
audience seating capacity
This brand new cricket stadium in Los Angeles currently provides excellent seating for approximately 5,000 spectators. However, the Knight Riders Group plans to convert it into a mega stadium for the future. Keeping in view the future needs, the capacity of the stadium will be increased rapidly in a phased manner. As per the established plan, the seating capacity will increase to 12,000 by 2027. Additionally, the goal is to reach a capacity of 15,000 seats before the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028.
