Welcome to Vegas, the home of the Raiders! The 2020 season marked a new chapter in the storied history of the Raiders and the third city they have called home. For years the Raiders sought to have a new football only stadium built in Oakland as they share the RingCentral Coliseum with the Oakland A’s (MLB). Opening in 1966 the Oakland Coliseum is the second oldest stadium in the NFL and lacks many modern amenities that new stadiums feature. The Raiders spent numerous years trying to work with local officials in Oakland to develop a stadium plan to keep the team in the city. They also explored other options including relocating to cities such as San Antonio, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. In 2016 plans emerged from developers in Las Vegas to build a stadium to attract a NFL franchise. In Spring 2016 Raiders owner Mark Davis visited the city and indicated he was interested in moving the team here.
On March 31, 2017 the NFL approved the relocation of the Raiders to Las Vegas. A new $1.9 billion domed stadium was built to house the Raiders and the UNLV Rebels college football team. The stadium was funded by a combination of private and public funds. Hotel taxes contribute $750 million to the project with the remainder coming from the Raiders and the NFL. In August 2019 the Raiders announced they sold the naming rights of the stadium to Allegiant Travel Company.
The Las Vegas Raiders played their first game at Allegiant Stadium on September 21, 2020 against the New Orleans Saints. The sleek silver and black exterior stadium sits near the Las Vegas strip. Allegiant Stadium features a clear roof dome constructed of translucent roof panels allowing natural light into the facility during the day. In addition to the clear roof panels, in order to create an outdoor feel during the Fall, the stadium has an 80 x 215 foot opening in the north endzone with lanai doors that can be opened or closed. Also located here is the Al Davis Memorial Torch, built in honor of former Raiders owner Al Davis. This 93 foot tall eternal flame constructed of of carbon fiber and aluminum will not have an actual flame but instead will be a mixture of lights and special effects and a 1,000-gallon water tank. A 55,000-square-foot peristyle club will encircle the torch.
Allegiant Stadium has a seating capacity of approximately 65,000 that includes 70 premium seats and 6,000 club seats. The natural grass playing field at Allegiant Stadium is housed on a retractable 9,500 ton tray that sits outside of the stadium on non-Raiders game days. Not only is Allegiant Stadium home of the Raiders, but the UNLV Rebels football team, the annual Pac-12 Football Championship and Las Vegas Bowl games and the 2021 NFL Pro Bowl.
Allegiant Stadium is the 1.8 million-square-foot world-class home of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) college football team. The 65,000-seat facility includes a retractable natural turf field for the NFL, an artificial turf playing surface for UNLV, large operable walls that open to spectacular views of the Las Vegas Strip, a translucent roof, and a variety of premium spaces throughout all levels.
With safety at the forefront, the team relied on the design-build delivery method and technology to drive enhanced decision-making at all facets of the project, ultimately reducing the time and construction cost. The design-build team overcame a host of unique challenges to deliver Allegiant Stadium ahead of schedule.
Visually inspired by the sleek and gradual curves of a futuristic luxury vehicle, Allegiant Stadium is an architectural and engineering marvel unlike any other venue. The unique features of the domed stadium include a cable net truss system used for the roof. The seven-acre ETFE roof is suspended by 100 stainless steel cables that create the light-weight roof structure diaphragm. The translucent roof protects players and fans from the summer heat while preserving the atmosphere of an outdoor stadium.
Meeting the challenge to provide the Raiders with a real grass field in the desert, the facility also features a retractable field system. Weighing nearly 20 million pounds, the playing field is housed in a movable 4-foot-deep “tray” and moves on 540 electrically-powered wheels across 13 rails, which allows the natural grass field to move outdoors for sunlight and water. This feature provides the stadium with the versatility of using both natural grass and artificial turf playing surfaces.
The landmark facility required the removal of 895,000 cubic yards of dirt, the installation of 12 miles of concrete drilled shafts, and miles of piping and utility systems. Nineteen construction cranes were used throughout the project during the installation of 28,000 tons of structural steel, 105,000 cubic yards of concrete and 482,000 structural bolts. The Mortenson | McCarthy joint venture self-performed all structural concrete including foundations, walls, columns, cores, slab on metal deck and slab on grade.
Another unique stadium feature is an 85-foot, 3D-printed torch in honor of former Raiders owner Al Davis, the father of current owner Mark Davis.
The YouTube series From the Ground Up chronicles the stadium’s design and construction, the experiences of the men and women responsible for building it, and the challenges tackled during construction of the ultra-modern stadium.
The team’s commitment to safety was always the No. 1 priority throughout construction. Allegiant Stadium achieved a remarkable safety record with a total recordable incident rate (TRIR) of 0.98, less than one-third the national average. More than 12,000 individuals contributed to the project’s design and construction.
Workforce and business inclusion were key components of this community project. Allegiant Stadium exceeded all small and diverse business goals, with 23 percent awarded to small businesses and 62 percent of the workforce being minority and female.
From the procurement process to training opportunities and student tours impacting the next generation of builders, efforts were focused on the local Las Vegas community. Seventy percent of all firms involved on the project were Nevada-based companies and more than 6 million labor hours went into constructing the project.
Photo Credit: Jason O'Rear
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