The 14,100-ton, structural steel, domed roof is supported by two 17-foot-wide by 35-foot-deep arch box trusses spanning 1225 feet. The 660,800-square-foot retractable roof will feature a 256-feet wide by 410-feet long roof opening. A rack-and-pinion drive system will open and close the two bi-parting mechanized roof panels in less than 12 minutes.
Both end zones will feature 180-foot-wide by 120-foot-high glass operable doors that will open in 18 minutes, making them the tallest glass retractable doors in the world.
At three million square feet and room for up to 111,000 people, it is the largest air-conditioned room in the world. But more important than its sheer size is the building’s overwhelming architectural presence, which is palpable from the moment you see it looming on the horizon.
Plaza Area and Open End Zones
The stadium design incorporates two open end zones with glass retractable doors measuring 120 feet high and 180 feet wide, making them the tallest glass retractable doors in the world. These doors open in 18 minutes. The plazas outside these doors, one in each end zone – along with the three party decks in each end zone – create over 420,000 square feet of entertainment space, or approximately 10 acres. This space gives the stadium great flexibility with its capacity. These areas will be great spaces for people to gather before, during and after events to socialize and experience a unique interactive experience. The field is actually 50 feet below ground level, so fans entering on the plaza level will have a panoramic view over the field. The end zone area will have the flexibility to convert from standing-room only to seating, based on specific event needs. Media boards and large-screen monitors add entertainment to the area, and create a festival atmosphere.
Suites
The new stadium will have 200 suites in eight different locations on five separate levels. The suite sections have been decentralized and positioned at different areas throughout the stadium, rather than having all suites on one level. With the new stadium, there are suites on the field-level sidelines and field-level end zones, and suites on higher levels for a different vantage point. Just 20 rows up from the field will be the Hall of Fame suites. These will be the lowest suites in the NFL in relation to the field. All of the suites will also have access to club areas. The building will have eight different clubs spread throughout the various levels.
The stadium will have 15,000 Club Level seats, accessible to field-level suite patrons as well as club members. The clubs will feature large-screen monitors and multiple entertainment venues, such as restaurants and concession areas. Prior to kick-off, the Dallas Cowboys players and coaches will walk through the Field Level Sideline Club on their way to the field.
Of course, access like this comes at a price. The club-level seats carry a one-time personal seat license of up to $50,000, and a season ticket costs $3,400. If you don’t have the cash on hand, the Cowboys will be happy to finance it for you at 8.5%.
Video Boards
There will be eight video boards in this facility. The most unique being the four board cluster that will be suspended 110 feet directly over the center of the playing surface. The board will run from the 20-yard line to the 20-yard line — measuring 180 feet in length and 50 feet in height and consists of 36 million LEDs – making it the largest video board installation in the world. The video center will allow fans on all levels to view the game in crisp, clear images during the game. This will create a premium on the value of the upper-level seats and make the game more exciting for all fans. The screens were developed by Mitsubishi’s Diamond Vision Systems. Each center-hung sideline display consists of 10,584,064 LEDs, consuming some 635,000 watts. Because each pixel consists of four LEDs (2 red, 1 green, 1 blue), the 2,176 X 4,864 LED distribution corresponds to a 1,088 X 2,432 pixel resolution, the equivalent of 1080p. However the image can actually be considerably sharper than the resolution suggests, because Diamond Vision’s “Dynamic Pixel” technology allows the corner LEDs of four neighboring pixel clusters to function as a pixel cluster together, providing virtual pixels between each physical pixel. The screen cost $40 million.
Amenities and Restrooms
The stadium features 286 concession points as well as more than 1,600 toilets. Some of the restrooms will be reversible based on the needs of the event.
Food According to the Cowboys, the 20-inch pizzas at the new stadium will cost $60. There will be five different types of pizza available for that price. Beer will be sold for $5. A Kobe beef burger is $13; a Shiner Bock beer, $9.50.
It costs $800,000 per year to lease one of those luxury suites, a hefty sum that doesn’t include game tickets. On the bright side, the stadium’s official Web site says that “having your company’s name on a suite makes an important statement about your success” and can help make an impression on clients. The menu in the luxury suites proves that things there are more expensive too. Those enjoying a Cowboys game from a luxury suite at the new stadium will have to shell out $90 for pizza and $66 for a 12-pack of domestic beer, reports Steven Sipple of the Lincoln Journal World. As for the $90 pizza, that’s the cost for a plain pizza. No word on how much each topping costs but, suffice it to say, if you’re a fan of pepperoni you may want to consider refinancing your mortgage before you head down to watch the Cowboys.
Parking
There will be plenty of parking at the new venue. It is estimated that between parking owned or under control of the Dallas Cowboys as well as the entrepreneurial lots in and around the stadium area, that there will be 30,000 parking spaces available to fans on game day.
The fees for premium parking at Dallas Cowboys Games are estimated at $75 per game, based on season ticket holder parking charges. The fees to park at major concerts and other sporting events will be nearly $40 per space at the new stadium.
Other Important Items – Cage Dancers!! The pictures say it all!!
Project Statistics
Dallas Cowboys Stadium; Arlington, Texas
Project: Dallas Cowboy Football Stadium
Project Type: Sports Stadium
Location: Arlington, Texas
General Contractor: Manhattan Construction, Dallas, Texas
Architect: HKS, Dallas, Texas
Structural Engineer: Walter P Moore & Assoc, Dallas, TX
Concrete Contractor: TXI Operations, LP, Dallas, Texas Roofing Subcontractor: Birdair, Amherst, NY
Consulting Architect: Cooper Robertson & Partners, New York, NY
Contractor: Bencor Corporation of America, Dallas, TX
Contractor (steel): Desert Steel, Irving, Texas
General Contractor: 31 Construction, Dallas, Texas
Grouting/Millwrights: Derr Steel Erectors & GroutTech, Inc, Hurst, TX
SPECIFICATIONS of INTEREST
Site Size: 135 Acres
Total Sq. Footage: 2.3 million
Fixed Seating: 80,000 people
Total Capacity: 100,000 people
Total yds. Concrete: 200,000 cu. yds.
Total Reinforce. Steel: 21,000 tons
Size Moveable Roof: 661,000 sq. ft.
Ea. Mechanized Roof Panel: 63,000 sq. ft.
Ea. (2) Arched Roof Supports: 1224.5 ft. long x17 ft x 35ft
Max. Roof Height: 292 ft.
Arched Truss Weight (ea.): 3,255 tons
Video Score Board Size: 20,000 sq. ft.
(Sources: Sportsblog, Walterpmoore.com, NBC, lmcc.com)
- Glenn's Take - 