Indianapolis recently announced plans to bid on the 2012 Super Bowl. Competition for hosting the event is expected from Houston and Glendale, Ariz, which hosted this year’s game, but Indy representatives are hopeful that NFL officials will recognize the city’s compact downtown with buildings connected by indoor walkways, and its experience in handling big events such as the Indianapolis 500.
The city’s biggest selling point is its new downtown stadium. Lucas Oil Stadium, the new home of the Indianapolis Colts, is approximately 80-percent complete and is scheduled for substantial completion in August. This massive, seven-level structure – featuring a retractable roof and striking brick exterior – is making a big impact in Indianapolis after more than two years of construction. Its size easily dwarfs the RCA Dome and other surrounding buildings.
According to Hunt Construction Group, approximately 900 workers are on-site, handling structural, exterior, interior, and site work operations. As of mid-February, crews had poured 509,000 square feet of slab-on-grade out of 600,000 square feet; set 3,435 pieces of structural precast out of 3,700 pieces; set 1,215 pieces of architectural precast out of 1,440 pieces; installed 8,099 pieces of exterior glass out of 9,100 pieces; installed 19,150 seats (average of various stages of installation) out of 55,000 (excluding seats on retractable seating and suites).
Inside the stadium, which will seat 63,000 for football and up to 70,000 for other events, workers are putting ceiling tiles and lights in the new, wide concourses, and are installing popcorn machines and appliances at the concession stands.
