San Gabriel Valley : Face Lift Is Urged for a Fading Rose Bowl

She’s 73 and it shows--but the Rose Bowl is about to get in shape.

The Rose Bowl Operating Co. Board has recommended a $20-million bond sale to pay for an overhaul of the aging Pasadena stadium. On Sept. 11, the board’s recommendation goes before the Pasadena City Council, which has the final say.

“This is the fast track to getting this project done now,” said board member Robert W. Monk. “The alternative is a Rose Bowl that decays and rusts.”

City officials say they have to keep the Rose Bowl looking good to avoid driving away UCLA football (the school’s lease expires in 1996) and their crown jewel, the Rose Bowl game. Also, officials hope to lure a professional football team to the stadium.

Last month, the City Council gave preliminary approval for major improvements at the Rose Bowl and asked the board to come up with a way to pay for them. They include theater-style seats, more restrooms, new concession stands and a giant video screen. If the council approves the bond sale, renovation projects are scheduled to begin Jan. 2, 1996.