Design considerations for retractable-roof stadia

Abstract

As existing open-air or fully enclosed stadia are reaching their life expectancies, cities are choosing to replace them with structures with moving roofs. This kind of facility provides protection from weather for spectators, a natural grass playing surface for players, and new sources of revenue for owners. The first retractable-roof stadium in North America, the Rogers Centre, has hosted numerous successful events but cost the city of Toronto over CA$500 million. Today, there are five retractable-roof stadia in use in America. Each has very different structural features designed to accommodate the conditions under which they are placed, and their individual costs reflect the sophistication of these features. These stadia also share some noticeable characteristics, particularly in their retractable mechanisms. There are currently five more projects for retractable-roof stadia in planning or construction in this country. These new structures will utilize design features from their predecessors, but the prices of these new projects are growing disproportionately to their technology and costing as much as $800 million. Beyond its multipurpose capabilities, a retractable-roof stadium carries an image of technological sophistication and distinction to it home city and thereby sells itself. This thesis attempts to identify the important design features of existing retractable-roof stadia that are or will likely be repeated in new ones. Recommendations for the future of this building type will be made in terms of possible improvements to design and of potential future markets for construction. A financial study will also be made to observe the funding processes for these structures and the escalating trend in total cost.