MCDONALD'S OLYMPIC SWIM STADIUM

University of Southern California
Heritage Hall
Los Angeles, California 90089
Telephone: (213) 740-3843

Swim Center (opened 1983)
Seats 2,000

About McDonald's Olympic Swim Stadium

Built for the 1984 Olympic Games and opened with a world-record performance in 1983, the McDonald's Olympic Swim Stadium is one of the finest in the world.

The open-air facility was built by the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee in preparation for the 1984 Olympic Games. It opened in July 1983 with the McDonald's international Swim Meet on July 14-15, 1983, where Soviet world-record holder Vladimir Salnikov improved his mark in the 800 meter freestyle on the opening day. Designed by architects Flewelling & Moody, the facility was built by Western Alta Construction Company at a cost of $3 million, supplied by the McDonald's Corporation. Over 14 days of Olympic competition, some 305, 896 spectators attended Olympic events at the pool complex.

After the Games, the facility has been a popular site for events including the 1989 U.S. Long Course Championships, the 1991 U.S. Olympic Festival swimming competition and the 1993 U.S. National Diving Championships. The temporary bleachers used for the Olympic Games were removed and when the multi-purpose Lyon Center was built in 1989, a permanent grandstand of 2,000 seats was installed.

Quick Facts

•The basics:
There are two pools in the complex: a full-sized Olympic pool and a smaller diving well with springboards and a diving platform. There are 2,000 permanent seats.

•Location and parking:
The facility is on the USC campus. It is easily accessed from the Santa Monica (10) Freeway via the Vermont Avenue or Hoover Street exit. Follow either street to Jefferson Boulevard and turn to enter the campus. Enter at the McClintock Avenue gate.

•Management:
The facility is managed by the university. For information about use of the facility, please contact the Athletic Department at (213) 740- 3843 or by fax at (213) 740-1306.

•Technical information:
The open-air main pool features movable bulkheads and has outstanding wave-control technology to keep swimmers in calm waters during all races. It's 25 meters wide and 2-4 meters in depth.

The diving well is 25 yards square and has one and three-meter springboards, and a platforms at 5, 7½ and 10 meters. Both pools have eight lanes.

Support facilities include a ticket window with two windows, locker and meeting rooms in the adjacent Kennedy Aquatics Center and a massive Colorado Timing Systems scoreboard.