Lucas Oil Stadium

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This article or section contains information about expected future buildings or structures.
It is likely to contain information of a speculative nature and the content may change as the building approaches completion.

Lucas Oil Stadium is a retractable roof sports and entertainment facility currently under construction in Indianapolis, Indiana. It will replace the twenty-two-year-old RCA Dome as the home field of the National Football League's Indianapolis Colts franchise. The opening of the facility is scheduled for 2008. Afterward, the RCA Dome will be demolished.

It was previously referred to as Indiana Stadium until it was announced on February 28, 2006 that Lucas Oil had purchased the naming rights for $120 million over 20 years.

Once complete, work will begin on expanding the current Convention Center. In order to expand the Convention Center, the Indiana Stadium and Convention Building Authority will demolish the RCA Dome and will proceed to finance, design, construct and own an expansion to the Indiana Convention Center, which will be located on the current site of the RCA Dome. The Authority anticipates that the Convention Center Expansion will be complete by 2010 and, once complete, it will also be leased to and operated by the Capital Improvement Board.

Planned Events

In addition to professional football games (and, possibly, collegiate and high school games), the stadium is scheduled to host the semifinal and final rounds of the Men's Final Four in 2010, with the Women's Final Four one year later. Historically, Indianapolis has been a popular choice for the Final Four. The city also hopes to attract the Super Bowl, but, as venues for the game are already scheduled up to the year 2010, barring unforeseen circumstances, it will likely be after the 2010 season.

Other probable non-sporting events include the Bands of America Grand National Championships, a major event for the city, as well as the pinnacle of high school Marching Band competitions, and also the Drum Corps International Championships.

Cost

Groundbreaking for the stadium took place on September 20, 2005. The anticipated stadium project cost is approximately $675 million. The estimate includes $500 million for actual construction, $125 in "soft" costs and $50 million in contingencies. The stadium is being financed with funds raised by the State of Indiana and the City of Indianapolis, with the Indianapolis Colts providing $100 million. Marion County has raised taxes for food and beverage sales, auto excise taxes, innkeeper's taxes and admission taxes for its share of the costs. Meanwhile, a small increase in food and beverage taxes in six "doughnut" counties and the sale of Colts license plates completes the total [link].(USD.)

External links

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