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Tom Hale

Lucas Oil Stadium Nearing End Zone
March 18, 2008

Lucas Oil Stadium Nearing End Zone

WOW! Driving along Interstate 70 through downtown Indianapolis, it's almost impossible to miss the sight of Lucas Oil Stadium, the city's new sports and entertainment facility. This massive, seven-level structure -- featuring a peaked roof and striking brick exterior -- is now making a big impact on the Indy skyline after more than two years of construction.

As a regular participant in monthly press tours of the stadium, I've watched the structure quickly emerge from a site just south of the RCA Dome. Crews have tackled numerous construction operations following the start of the project in September 2005, using a large fleet of cranes and an assortment of other heavy equipment. Construction has been impressive, especially when you consider that the project includes the placement of 600,000 square feet of slab-on-grade, 3,700 pieces of structural precast, 1,440 pieces of architectural precast, and 9,100 pieces of exterior glass.

Lucas Oil Stadium is scheduled for completion in August. Right now, construction of the stadium's retractable roof is underway, with completion slated for mid-July. Structural steel work on the stadium's bowl is in place, and the cranes used for that operation have been removed. Also, work in the stadium suites continues, and crews are working on underground utilities, completing exterior curtain wall, installing seats, placing ornamental railings, and finishing out concessions areas.

Making It Look Easy
Congratulations to construction manager Hunt Construction Group and a workforce totaling well over 1,000 for amazing work, much of it accomplished during inclement weather. Hunt has used its experience building numerous professional and collegiate stadiums and arenas throughout the country -- including the RCA Dome and Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis -- to make a very challenging project look less formidable.

I've covered many Hunt Construction Group projects throughout the region -- in Indianapolis, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Louisville, Moline, Ill., St. Louis, and West Lafayette, Ind. -- and each time Hunt has displayed a level of experience, leadership and dedication that is unmatched. No wonder the company ranks as one of the top construction firms in the nation.

In With The New, Out With The Old
Football fans can hardly wait to see the 2006 Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts play in the new stadium. Lucas Oil Stadium will seat 63,000 for football and up to 70,000 for basketball, conventions, concerts, and other special events. There will be many upscale amenities, including 142 corporate suites; wider seats with more legroom than the seats at RCA Dome; seats with backs throughout; 58 permanent concession stands; 14 escalators; 11 passenger elevators; 1,200 toilet fixtures throughout all seven levels; 30-foot-wide public concourses; four primary plazas with entrances at each; and two pedestrian ramps.

Of course, saying hello to the new stadium also means saying goodbye to the RCA Dome -- a fixture in Indianapolis for almost a quarter-century. The Indiana Stadium & Convention Building Authority says plans call for demolishing the RCA Dome to make room for the Indiana Convention Center expansion this year.

It will be tough seeing the Dome fall, especially since it played a key role in the transformation of Indianapolis into a major sports town. However, cities have to move forward or fall backward. Lucas Oil Stadium represents a giant step forward.

Posted by Tom Hale on March 18, 2008 | Comments (1)