Raider nation is on the move once again and this time they will test their luck in the Sin City. Las Vegas is welcoming this professional team with open arms after the success that the Las Vegas Golden Knights have had. Part of the agreement for the Raiders franchise to transfer is that the city will build the team a brand new stadium by 2020. Manica Architecture was chosen to lead the design.
Construction has already begun on the $1.8 billion stadium that will hold 65,000 fans. In preparation for the 2020 NFL season the project has scheduled a completion date for August 1st 2020. Once completed the Las Vegas Raiders will share the stadium with the UNLV Rebels football team.
Small Capacity Brings Better Fan Experience
This smaller than average seating capacity stays inline with the recent trend of small football stadiums. Stadiums with less seats tend to have tickets with a higher demand and better overall experience for fans. Not many people enjoy sitting in the upper decks of a football without a clue what is happening down on the field.
Raiders President Marc Badain said while he does see a demand for more seating he doesn’t want to sacrifice fans experience.
“When we looked to do a stadium here, to be honest with the demand, we probably could have gone bigger,” he said. “But, we like it to be intimate, we like it to feel like every seat is over the action and this stadium is designed that way.”
The reduced capacity is not the only thing that has Las Vegas stadium separating itself from the rest. The north side of the indoor stadium will have 80 by 120 foot folding lanai doors facing the popular strip. A walking bridge will be constructed for easy access to the stadium from the strip.
Raider Nation Police Force
Just like the Las Vegas strip, the stadium will have its own police detachment with dedicated officers. Unruly fans won’t even have to leave the stadium to get charged with a crime as there will be a jail and courtroom on site. Word has it that they will be looking to make examples out of people during the first few home games. DON’T BE THAT GUY!
Architects had to take into account the extreme heat along with the extreme cold that the comes along with the desert city. Natural grass will be grown outdoors on wheeled trays and rolled in on game day. The translucent ceiling will be made from ethylene tetra-fluoro-ethylene material that will keep the cool in but still allow for natural light. The functional exterior structure will be designed to push fresh air into the stadium while simultaneously letting exhaust air out.
Las Vegas officials estimate that about 450,000 people per year will travel to the city to attend one of the events at the new stadium. One of the projects shortcomings is the lack of parking space currently available. As of now the plan is to have four separate off site parking lots and provide a shuttle service to the stadium. It is expected that some fans will utilize the more than 25,000 parking spaces controlled by the numerous resorts on the strip.
Where Will Raiders Play in 2019?
While the 2018 season for the Oakland Raiders is looking like a disaster they at least have the relocation and awesome new stadium to look forward to. The lease for the Oakland stadium will expire at the end of this year so it is yet to be seen what stadium they will call home for next year. Unfortunately there will not be a stadium located in Las Vegas that is up to NFL standards until 2020.