Penhall Supports Award-Winning Crypto.com Arena Renovation
From 2022 through 2025, Penhall supported all four phases of the major renovation at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California.
Now, the project is receiving recognition from Engineering News-Record (ENR) West, earning both a 2026 Best Project honor and the ENR West Excellence in Safety Award.
The recognition highlights the complexity of modernizing one of Los Angeles' busiest venues while keeping it operational throughout construction. For Penhall, the project was an opportunity to contribute across all four phases of a high-profile renovation that required careful coordination, scheduling and execution.
A Four-Phase Renovation in an Active Arena
Crypto.com Arena is a 960,000-square-foot venue that hosts more than 240 events each year and welcomes approximately four million guests annually. The arena is home to the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Kings and Los Angeles Sparks.
The renovation was completed through four consecutive phases between 2022 and 2025. Each phase was scheduled around the arena's active event calendar, with construction taking place while games, concerts and other major events continued.
PCL Construction led the renovation program, coordinating with the arena, design partners and trade contractors to complete work within tightly controlled offseason schedules. According to PCL, each phase was limited to approximately 16 weeks, with work often performed at night to avoid disrupting scheduled events.
The renovations included upgrades throughout the arena, including concourses, premium clubs and suites, dining areas, seating areas, team facilities and locker rooms.
Penhall's Role in the Crypto.com Arena Renovation
Penhall provided selective demolition services throughout all four phases of the Crypto.com Arena renovation from 2022 through 2025, helping prepare the venue for Olympic and seasonal event upgrades.
Work spanned several areas throughout the arena, including the Chairman’s Club, Family Rooms, Impact Club, Suite Level and Upper Concourse, as well as concession removals.
Penhall's scope included:
- Concrete Demolition: Breaking and removal of existing concrete
- Soft Demolition: Interior dismantling and removal
- Flat Sawing & Core Drilling: Precision cutting for controlled demolition
- Advanced Techniques: GPR imaging, digital X-ray (DXR), Brokk demolition equipment and diamond tooling
Working within an active, high-traffic venue required careful planning and coordination to maintain safety, efficiency and project schedules while minimizing disruption to ongoing arena events.
Through all four phases, Penhall's teams provided the specialized demolition and concrete services needed to help keep the renovation moving toward completion ahead of major events.
View the Crypto.com Arena Renovation Project → https://www.penhall.com/projects/crypto-arena-renovation/
Construction in a Venue That Never Stops
One of the biggest challenges of the Crypto.com Arena renovation was the need to balance construction with an active event schedule.
The arena continued hosting professional sports, concerts and nationally televised events throughout the renovation. PCL noted that each phase had to accommodate approximately 50 to 65 interrupted workdays, requiring teams to carefully coordinate construction activities around venue operations.
That meant construction planning extended beyond the physical work itself. Crews and trade partners had to coordinate access, work hours, site conditions and turnover requirements to keep spaces ready for events.
PCL's project information also describes measures used to control dust and debris, coordinate daily activities and protect the guest experience while construction was underway.
For a project in an active entertainment venue, maintaining that balance requires every trade partner to understand the importance of schedule, coordination and site conditions.
Recognized for Project Excellence and Safety
The completed renovation has now been recognized by ENR West with two honors.
The project was selected as a 2026 ENR West Best Project in the Sports/Entertainment category. ENR reported that its Best Projects judges evaluated projects based on factors including how teams overcame challenges, teamwork, safety, innovation, industry and community contributions, and construction and design quality.
The project also received the ENR West Excellence in Safety Award.
According to PCL, the project recorded 583,979 worker hours with zero lost-time incidents while construction took place in an occupied venue with constantly changing public access routes and event configurations.
These project-wide results reflect the coordination and safety focus required from the entire project team, including the contractors and trade partners working within the renovation.
Four Phases. One Major Project.
The Crypto.com Arena renovation represents more than a single construction effort. It was a multi-year, four-phase program completed within the constraints of an active sports and entertainment venue.
Penhall was proud to be part of that effort across all four phases from 2022–2025.
Projects like this demonstrate the importance of experienced trade partners who can work within complex schedules, coordinate with larger project teams and adapt to the demands of active construction environments.
Penhall is proud to contribute to projects that keep moving, from major renovations and concrete work to complex construction environments across North America.
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