Lucas Oil Stadium Totally Explained

Everything about Lucas Oil Stadium totally explained

Lucas Oil Stadium is a retractable roof sports facility currently under construction in Indianapolis, Indiana. The stadium is scheduled to open in 2008, replacing the RCA Dome (completed 1983) as the home field of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts. Afterward, the RCA Dome will be demolished. In addition to the stadium, a new high rise hotel will be constructed. It is scheduled to host Super Bowl XLVI in 2012.
HKS Inc is the architectural firm credited with the stadium’s design, with Walter P. Moore working as the Structural Engineer of Record. The stadium will feature a retractable roof and window wall, allowing the Colts to play outdoors. The elements of Kinetic Architecture will provide for quick conversion of the facility to accommodate a variety of events—allowing for increased use of the building and increased return on the investment.
On February 28, 2006, it was announced that Lucas Oil had purchased the naming rights for $120 million over 20 years. The facility had previously been referred to as Indiana Stadium. Once complete, work will begin on expanding the current Convention Center. In order to expand the Convention Center, the Indiana Stadium and Convention Building Authority will demolish the RCA Dome and will proceed to finance, design, construct and own an expansion to the Indiana Convention Center, which will be located on the current site of the RCA Dome. The Authority anticipates that the Convention Center Expansion will be complete by 2010 and, once complete, it'll also be leased to and operated by the Capital Improvement Board.

Features

Seating capacity for football games will be 63,000; an increase of more than 5,000 over the RCA Dome. The stadium, when it'll host a Super Bowl, can be expanded to a capacity of 70,000. The basketball configuration will exceed the 40,000 minimum seating capacity required to host the NCAA Final Four. Unlike most basketball contests played in dome facilities, the court at Lucas Oil Stadium will be placed in the center of the facility instead of one of the endzones.
The stadium will contain two massive Daktronics high definition scoreboards, each one 97 feet wide and 53 feet tall, which will be situated in the northwest and southeast corners of the stadium

Mechanized Retractable Roof

Lucas Oil Stadium will have a retractable roof that divides lengthwise, with each half sliding down the sloping roof of the stadium. The stadium roof will be gabled, with the peak running north and south down the center of the field, paralleling the sidelines. Two retractable panels will bi-part at the center peak and roll down along the slopes of the roof into the open position. A cable drum drive system will drive the retractable roof panels up and down the sloped track. Rather than dragging the cable across the fixed roof, this system’s patented design lays the roof cable down, and then picks it back up. In 9 minutes, the roof panels will simultaneously move to the open position at the touch of a button. To guard the stadium’s interior from weather conditions the roof is designed with a large cap that will run the length of a sealed overlap between the parting roof panels. Just beneath the sealed overlap will be a large trough, finalizing the retractable roof’s layers of protection.

Moveable Window Wall

A large windowed gate at one end of the stadium will allow additional light while closed and allow for a more open feel while open.The transportable window wall will be 214ft by 88ft, and comprised of six 88ft x 38ft glass-clad panels. Each panel will ride on a steel rail while the wall opens and closes, and are supported by two hardened steel wheels. The window will separate at the center, with three panels amassed on each side when in the open position. The six wall panels will move simultaneously during opening and closing in only 6 minutes. Window seals will be installed, fully shielding spectators from any weather conditions. When in the closed position, the perimeter of each wall panel will be sealed with rain-tight, air-tight seals.

Planned events

It was announced on August 8, 2006 that Drum Corps International would move their corporate offices to Indianapolis and the DCI World Championships will be the inaugural event for the stadium, and will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium every year at least through 2018. However, on April 4, 2008, it was announced that the stadium wouldn't be complete in time, so the event would be moved to Memorial Stadium, Bloomington on the campus of Indiana University instead.
   In addition to professional football games (and, possibly, collegiate and high school games), the stadium is scheduled to host the semifinal and final rounds of the Men's Final Four in 2010, with the Women's Final Four one year later. Historically, Indianapolis has been a popular choice for the Final Four, as the NCAA makes their headquarters there, and the events come on a five-year rotation. Lucas Oil Stadium and the city of Indianapolis made a bid to host Super Bowl XLV in 2011 but lost to Dallas and the Dallas Cowboys New Stadium by only two NFL Owner votes. Indianapolis has once again made a bid to host the Super Bowl, this time in 2012. Other events include the Bands of America Grand National Championships and the Indiana Marching Band State Finals, both major events for the city in Marching Band competitions.
   The 2008 NFL season will feature the first NBC Sunday Night Football game of the season in the stadium, as the Colts face the Chicago Bears in a rematch of Super Bowl XLI.
   On May 20, 2008, it was announced that Lucas Oil Stadium would host Super Bowl XLVI in 2012.

Cost

Groundbreaking for the stadium took place on September 20, 2005. The anticipated stadium project cost is approximately $675 million. The estimate includes $500 million for actual construction, $125 million in "soft" costs and $50 million in contingencies. The stadium is being financed with funds raised by the State of Indiana and the City of Indianapolis, with the Indianapolis Colts providing $100 million ($50 million of which will be given to the Colts by the City of Indianapolis for the early termination of their contract). Marion County has raised taxes for food and beverage sales, auto excise taxes, innkeeper's taxes and admission taxes for its share of the costs. Meanwhile, a small increase in food and beverage taxes in the eight surrounding doughnut counties (with the exception of Morgan County) and the sale of Colts license plates completes the total.
In August 2006, a problem was discovered concerning operating costs of the new stadium. The city's Capital Improvement Board estimates that the new stadium could cost an additional $10 million more a year to operate than the RCA Dome.

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