Lucas Oil Stadium

Lucas Oil Stadium

The Luke
Lucas Oil Stadium nearing completion.
Location	Indianapolis, Indiana
Coordinates	39°45′36.2″N 86°9′49.7″W
Owner	Indiana Stadium and Convention Building Authority
Operator	Capital Improvement Board
Capacity	Football: 63,000 (expandable to 70,000) Basketball: 70,000 (approx.)
Surface	FieldTurf
Construction
Broke ground	September 20, 2005
Opened	2008 (scheduled)
Construction cost	$675 million
Architect	HKS, Inc.
Tenants
Indianapolis Colts (NFL) (2008-Present) IHSAA (Football State Finals) (2008) ISSMA (Band State Finals) (2008) Bands of America (2008) Drum Corps International (2008) 2009 Men's Basketball Midwest Regionals 2010 Men's Basketball Final Four 2011 Women's Basketball Final Four Super Bowl XLVI

Lucas Oil Stadium is a sports facility currently under construction in Indianapolis, Indiana. The stadium is scheduled to open in 2008, replacing the RCA Dome (completed in 1983), that is currently under demolition, as the home field of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts. 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 will 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 will 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 end zones.

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 designed by Uni-Systems that divides lengthwise into two retractable panels weighing 2.7 million pounds each, with each half sliding down the sloping roof of the stadium into the open position. The stadium roof will be gabled, with the peak running north and south down the center of the field, paralleling the sidelines. A cable drum drive system will drive the retractable roof panels up and down the sloped track. Rather than dragging the 32 1-1/2" diameter galvanized cables across the fixed roof, this system’s patented design lays the roof cable down, and then picks it back up. In nine 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. This retractable roof will be the first ever that divides lengthwise.

The Lucas Oil Stadium retractable roof system is operated by 32 cables 1-1/2” diameter galvanized right and left hand lay. They were manufactured specifically for this project by Wire Rope Corporation of America and furnished by The Tway Company Inc. located in Indianapolis. The lengths vary from 232’6” to 245’ and include a Johnson Wedge Socket installed on one end that terminates the cables at the roof peak 285’ above the stadium floor.

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 214 feet by 88 feet, and composed of six 88 ft × 38 ft glass-clad panels. Each panel will ride on a steel rail while the wall opens and closes, and is 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 six 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 would not be complete in time, so the event was moved to Memorial Stadium 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 Arlington, Texas and the Dallas Cowboys New Stadium by only two NFL Owner votes. Indianapolis once again made a bid to host Super Bowl XLVI, this time in 2012. On May 20, 2008, the bid was successful, defeating Houston, Texas and Glendale, Arizona for that right. 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.

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.

External links

• Lucas Oil Stadium page at Ballparks.com
• Indiana Stadium and Convention Building Authority
• ISCBA High-Quality Webcam
• Emporis Buildings Site Info
• IndyStar.com Webcam
• Link to High Quality Pictures Inside Lucas Oil Stadium
• Lucas Oil Stadium construction pictures

39°45′36.2″N 86°9′49.7″W