NFL stadium takes shape in Inglewood - Construction is ramping up on the huge arena

Construction on the stadium is slated to wrap up in 2020. All images courtesy Los Angeles Stadium & Entertainment District

Last year’s unusually wet winter held back construction on the future home of the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers in Inglewood, forcing the stadium’s developers to push back its opening day to 2020.

But scarcely a drop of rain has fallen this winter, and construction is now moving right along.

Builders of the 70,000-seat arena announced Wednesday that thus far roughly 6 million cubic yards of dirt have been excavated, 45,000 cubic yards of concrete poured, and eight cranes brought to the construction site.

A massive structural retaining wall, which will support the stadium, is now 65 percent complete, and the outline of the ovular structure is taking shape.

Work on the project is about to ramp up. About 850 workers are now employed on the stadium on a given day, but that number will more than quadruple by next year.

At that point, work will have begun on the glassy roof canopy, which builders promise will be constructed using the help of “one of the largest cranes in the world.”

That’s par for the course for this particular project, which seems to be gunning for nearly every available superlative.

With a projected cost of $2.6 billion, the stadium and surrounding entertainment district and urban village will be the costliest NFL complex ever built (it could also be the most expensive for fans). At 3 million square feet, it will be the largest stadium in professional football. Its 120-yard video screen (dubbed Oculus) will be the biggest around.

As the renderings below illustrate, the screen will encircle the top of the field like a glittery halo. Above the screen will be a clear roofline allowing light to shine down on fans assembled in seats or luxury suites (there will be 275 of them).

Here’s a closer look at what the stadium will look like when complete: