The Kia Forum is the circular indoor arena at 3900 West Manchester Boulevard in Inglewood, California, that has hosted everything from Lakers championships to some of the most legendary concert residencies in arena history. If you’re trying to nail down exactly how many seats it holds, when it opened, or whether it’s an indoor or outdoor venue, the short version is: fully enclosed, 17,505 seats for most concerts, and open since December 30, 1967.
This guide breaks down the Kia Forum’s capacity by event type and seating level, its construction and architecture, and what to expect when you actually go — from parking and transit to tickets and bag policy — so you have every number and every practical detail in one place.
Quick Answer
The Kia Forum (also called The Forum or Forum LA) seats 17,505 for most concerts and basketball, scales up to roughly 18,000 for maximum-configuration concerts, and is set at 16,005 for hockey. It’s a fully enclosed indoor arena — not an outdoor venue — located at 3900 W. Manchester Blvd. in Inglewood, California, and it opened on December 30, 1967.
Kia Forum Capacity: Full Breakdown
The Kia Forum’s capacity changes depending on the event. For most concerts and standard events, the arena seats 17,505. At maximum configuration for large-scale concerts, capacity rises to approximately 18,000. Hockey events are configured for 16,005 seats, and the venue can scale down to roughly 8,000 for more intimate shows using a half-house curtained setup — a flexibility that lets the Forum book artists across a huge range of draw sizes.
The arena is divided into four seating levels. The Floor is configurable as general-admission standing or reserved seating depending on the show. The Lower Bowl spans Sections 101–136 across roughly 20 rows and accounts for the bulk of the close-in seats. A Club Level adds around 1,500 premium seats with lounge access. The Upper Bowl, Sections 201–235, adds roughly 7,000 seats with strong sightlines throughout thanks to the steep, compact bowl.
For context, Forum LA’s capacity runs somewhat below Madison Square Garden (about 20,789) or nearby Crypto.com Arena (about 20,000). Fans and touring artists consistently cite that relative intimacy — combined with the room’s acoustics — as what makes the Kia Forum feel different from a typical big-city arena.
Is the Kia Forum Indoor or Outdoor?
The Kia Forum is a fully enclosed indoor arena, not an open-air venue. Architect Charles Luckman designed it with a cable-suspended roof spanning roughly 407 feet in diameter — eliminating the internal support columns typical of 1960s arenas and creating a pillar-free bowl with a permanent, weatherproof ceiling.
That means shows go on rain or shine, the climate inside is controlled year-round, and there are no obstructed-view seats caused by roof support beams. The enclosed, circular design is also part of why the Forum is known for above-average concert acoustics compared with open-air amphitheaters.
When Was the Kia Forum Built?
Construction on what would become the Kia Forum broke ground on July 1, 1966. The arena was completed in roughly 18 months and opened on December 30, 1967, with a Los Angeles Kings hockey game as its inaugural event — making it one of the longest continuously operating major arenas in the United States.
It was financed and built by Kings — and later Lakers — owner Jack Kent Cooke at a cost of $16 million. Architect Charles Luckman designed the circular structure to evoke ancient Roman amphitheaters, with engineers Carl Johnson and Svend Nielsen of Johnson & Nielsen Associates realizing the cable-suspended roof design. The arena hosted its first concert on January 22, 1968, when Aretha Franklin headlined.
The building has changed names several times: The Forum (1967–1988, 2004–2012), Great Western Forum (1988–2003), and The Forum presented by Chase (2014–2022). Kia Motors purchased naming rights in April 2022, making it the Kia Forum today. A major renovation from 2012–2014, after Madison Square Garden Entertainment acquired the building, added acoustic treatments, a modern LED video system, and new artist dressing rooms while keeping the original circular bowl fully intact.
Architecture: The Inglewood Arena’s Circular Design
The Kia Forum’s most distinctive structural feature is its pillar-free interior, achieved through a cable-suspended roof rather than the internal support columns standard in arenas of the era. The circular shape, modeled on Roman amphitheaters, also benefits acoustics: curved walls and a dome-like ceiling distribute sound more evenly than a rectangular arena, and the 2014 renovation layered professional acoustic treatment on top of that inherited advantage.
The venue hosted basketball and men’s handball finals at the 1984 Summer Olympics, and on September 24, 2014, it was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
Kia Forum Seating Chart: Best Sections by Level
Floor seating sits in lettered sections directly in front of the stage; center sections closest to the stage typically deliver the strongest view, while sections at the far sides can face sharper angles depending on stage placement. In the Lower Bowl, sections in the 100s directly opposite the stage — plus the adjoining side sections — are consistently rated among the best value seats, combining a close, elevated view with lower prices than the floor.
In the Upper Bowl, the sections nearest center-stage, roughly in the low-200s and high-220s numbering, offer the best sightlines for that level thanks to the arena’s steep, compact bowl. Club Level seats add in-seat lounge access and shorter concession lines for a premium over standard Lower Bowl pricing.
Planning Your Visit: Tickets, Parking & Getting There
Tickets for Kia Forum shows are sold primarily through Ticketmaster and AXS, with pricing tiers that generally run lowest in the Upper Bowl and highest for Floor and Club Level seats — expect resale marketplaces to add a premium over face value, especially for high-demand residencies. Box office hours and exact pricing vary by event, so always confirm current details on the official Kia Forum website before you buy.
Onsite parking is prepaid and sells out for popular shows, so booking a spot in advance through the venue’s parking partner is the safer bet. If you’d rather skip parking altogether, the Metro K Line’s Downtown Inglewood station puts you within a short walk of the arena. The Forum also enforces a clear-bag policy at entry, so leave oversized or non-transparent bags at home to avoid delays at the gate.
Kia Forum capacity and visitor guide FAQs
What is the Kia Forum’s capacity?
The Kia Forum seats 17,505 for most concerts and basketball events, and capacity can rise to roughly 18,000 for maximum-configuration concerts.
What is the Forum’s seating capacity for concerts?
For standard concerts, the Forum’s seating capacity is 17,505. Some large-scale tours use a maximum configuration that pushes capacity to about 18,000, while smaller shows can scale down to roughly 8,000 using a half-house setup.
How many seats does the Forum in LA have?
The Forum LA has 17,505 seats in its standard configuration, spread across the Floor, Lower Bowl (Sections 101–136), Club Level (about 1,500 seats), and Upper Bowl (Sections 201–235, about 7,000 seats).
When was the Kia Forum built?
Groundbreaking took place on July 1, 1966, and the arena opened on December 30, 1967 — making it one of the longest continuously operating major arenas in the United States.
Is the Kia Forum indoor or outdoor?
The Kia Forum is a fully enclosed indoor arena. It uses a permanent cable-suspended roof spanning about 407 feet in diameter, so events run rain or shine with climate control year-round.
Qual é a capacidade do Kia Forum? (What is the Kia Forum’s capacidade/capacity?)
A capacidade do Kia Forum é de 17.505 lugares para a maioria dos shows, podendo chegar a cerca de 18.000 na configuração máxima para grandes turnês — the same 17,505-to-18,000 range used for concerts in English-language listings.
How does Kia Forum capacity compare to other LA arenas?
At roughly 17,505–18,000, the Kia Forum seats somewhat fewer people than nearby Crypto.com Arena (about 20,000), which is part of why fans and artists describe the Forum as a more intimate big-arena experience.
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