Irvine, CA to be Home of $30 Million Stadium Backed by Shah Rukh Khan and MLC
India-West Staff Reporter
IRVINE, CA – The Shah Rukh Khan owned Knight Riders Group in partnership with Major League Cricket (MLC), USA’s official franchise league and the City of Irvine on April 29 announced plans to construct build a world-class cricket venue on a 15-acre parcel at Great Park with a seating capacity of 10,000. The project is expected to be around $30 million.
It is seen as a significant step considering the possibilities of cricket’s inclusion at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
“Our investment in MLC in America is based on our belief in the exciting future of cricket in the USA and is well-aligned to our strategy of establishing Knight Riders as a global brand in T20 cricket. Plans to build a world-class cricket stadium in the greater Los Angeles area is exciting for us and MLC. This will no doubt have a transformational impact on one of the world’s most iconic metropolitan areas,” said KRG owner and Bollywood actor-producer Shah Rukh Khan.
The stadium plans include state-of-the-art training facilities, locker rooms, luxury suites, dedicated parking, concessions, field lighting and an international-grade pitch to meet International Cricket Council accreditation and allow the venue to host the highest level of international cricket competitions.
USA Cricket is expected to bid for future men’s and women’s World Cup tournaments, with the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup already set to be co-hosted by the United States of America and the West Indies. If the ICC is successful in getting cricket to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the stadium at Great Park would be seen as a centerpiece venue for the event in Southern California.
“MLC is committed to building outstanding infrastructure for cricket in key markets accessible to legions of cricket-loving fans. We’re grateful to the City of Irvine for agreeing to explore this development in the heart of Orange County. Great Park’s position as a hub for community recreation and its array of first-class sports facilities makes it an ideal location for the potential addition of a venue serving the local cricket-loving community and the broader Greater Los Angeles region with major international cricket events set to take place there,” said Sameer Mehta and Vijay Srinivasan, Co-Founders, Major League Cricket.
The development would see a multi-million-dollar investment, with the internationally renowned architects HKS chosen to design the stadium in the Greater Los Angeles metropolitan area.
The Knight Riders Group is a founding investor in MLC and is working closely with MLC on various aspects related to the launch of the league in 2023.
KRG, owners of the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League and Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) in the Caribbean Premier League, will bring significant experience from one of the most successful brands in global T20 cricket to building MLC.
Jay
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Good luck to all involved in this venture!
April 29, 2022Sumesh Hirway
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Congratulations Sharukh Khan for bringing Cricket to Irvine
April 29, 2022Suman
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Time to bring it on while whole world is in turmoil
April 30, 2022Rsook1
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That is awesome growing up in the West Indies Cricket is a passion of mine and I now live in Irvine so this will be great to see this world class facility built in my city.
April 30, 2022Mohammed
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What an excellent idea! This is a major step towards bringing cricket closer to the mainstream people of Los Angeles/USA. Praiseworthy move for sure!!
April 30, 2022Karpal
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This is a joke right?
May 1, 2022Mary smol
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It will go bankrupt. Better things to do with that land.
May 2, 2022Gunny
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This Irvine council makes me sick! I bet they put this weird sport in the place where the veterans cemetery was suppose to go. My resting place !!
April 30, 2022Cricket can go to hell!
Karpal
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Totally agree. Such a waste making something just few play. What is next? Stadium for watching golf?
May 1, 2022Bunny
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I don’t really get why a Vets Cemetery needed to be in Great Park. Life is for the living.
May 2, 2022Karpal
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This is a joke, right?
May 1, 2022Jimmy
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This is crazy very good for Irvine
May 1, 2022E
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I can Google this but what is ….cricket? How about retail?? Or a library for all the kids who live in the area? Gardens? The streets can’t even handle that many attendees at once. Will they be taking the residential streets? How about that mess of a Sand Canyon freeway exit already? Did a $30 mil funding make it happen?
May 1, 2022Al
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30 million dollars for a very niche sport, that very few will have any interest in. We have been talking to the city of Irvine for years about a $70k bike park and pump track.
May 1, 2022Jay
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What is Cricket? Did I spell correctly?
May 1, 2022Connie
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Put in our Veterans Cemetery at the arda site as already twice voted and approved by the Irvine residents. FOR GOD’S SAKE. The Irvine council make most of Irvine residents SICK.
May 2, 2022