Coliseum Orders $4.8-Million Scoreboards

The Coliseum has ordered a new matrix scoreboard and video board system costing $4.8 million to replace boards that had to be taken down as part of the stadium’s $50-million earthquake repair.

Project director Don C. Webb told the Coliseum Commission Wednesday that the new boards, to be paid for by the federal and state governments because they are a consequence of the Northridge earthquake, will be an improvement over the former boards.

Webb said he hoped the boards, from Mitsubishi Products, America, would be in place in time for the first scheduled game at the repaired Coliseum between USC and Washington on Sept. 3. Eight days later, the Raiders are scheduled to play their home opener against the Seattle Seahawks.

In another matter, the Coliseum Commission, with no public discussion, voted unanimously to ratify a one-year contract under which the Raiders will play in the Coliseum this fall without any obligation to pay rent unless there is a later agreement between the team and the commission on further stadium and Exposition Park renovations.

The commission voted unanimously to ban smoking in all open-seating Coliseum areas, restrooms and the upper concourse, and by a vote of 6-3 decided to ban it in the press areas as well.