Intuit Dome Opens with Bruno Mars Concert

The brand-new Intuit Dome, a $2 billion arena, officially kicked off its opening on Thursday night with a thrilling concert by Bruno Mars in Inglewood, California.

Although the Grammy-winning artist was scheduled to perform at 8 p.m., the show faced some delays due to technical issues. Fans waited outside as there were problems with the arena’s facial recognition system that slowed down entry.

When the concert finally began just before 10 p.m., Bruno Mars wowed the crowd, and fans were treated to a special surprise as Lady Gaga joined him on stage to sing their new track, ‘Die With a Smile.’

Before the concert, there was a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the opening of the arena. Excited concertgoer Bettie Tillman shared her thoughts, saying, ‘I’m excited about the Clippers. I love the stadium; I’m excited about Bruno Mars, most. I’m mostly excited about the new beginning here in Inglewood.’

The Intuit Dome spans an impressive 26 acres and can seat nearly 18,000 fans. Construction of the arena began in September 2021, situated near SoFi Stadium and the Kia Forum.

Inglewood Mayor James Butts praised the new venue, declaring, ‘We’re now a center for social excellence, economic resurgence, and great diversity in our population. But now, we will have the newest, grandest stadium in the world, SoFi, and the newest, grandest arena in the world – the Intuit Dome. There are no words.’

The venue’s location initially led to a legal dispute with the Madison Square Garden Co. over competition with the Forum, but Clippers owner Steve Ballmer resolved the issue by purchasing the Forum for $400 million.

While the Forum will remain focused on music events, the Intuit Dome is primarily built to host the Clippers, who previously shared the Crypto.com Arena downtown with the Lakers.

The arena features cutting-edge technology, including the two-sided ‘Halo Board‘ that offers nearly an acre of lights and even T-shirt cannons to delight the fans.

Along with five basketball courts, the facility has extensive training and medical spaces, including an indoor pool and an outdoor plaza with bars, restaurants, and a huge team store.

A unique section called ‘The Wall’ aims to ensure that only Clippers fans can enjoy that part of the seating area, implementing strict rules about ticket resale and team gear.

For those attending events, downloading the Intuit Dome app is essential for entry, allowing ticket holders to use a ‘Game Face ID’ or an ‘Identity Pass’ for seamless access.

The arena also operates cashless, meaning fans must upload payment methods on the app for food and merchandise purchases.

Bruno Mars has another concert lined up for 8 p.m. Friday, marking his first shows in Los Angeles in six years. Other upcoming performances at the Intuit Dome include notable acts like Sebastian Maniscalco, Marco Antonio Solis, and Olivia Rodrigo.

Looking forward, the Intuit Dome is also set to host the 2026 NBA All-Star Game and will serve as a basketball venue during the 2028 Summer Olympics.