Lucas Oil Stadium
After more than two decades of playing at the RCA Dome, the Indianapolis Colts will play in one of the NFL’s best stadiums in 2008 when Lucas Oil Stadium opens. In December 2004, the Colts and the City of Indianapolis came to an agreement on a new stadium for the team. With an estimated price tag of $625 million the stadium was completed for the 2008 season. The Colts will pay $100 million of the cost, while the remaining $400 million will come from funds from the State of Indiana and the City of Indianapolis through increased taxes on food and beverages.
In March 2006, Lucas Oil Products won the naming rights to the stadium. The deal is valued at $122 million over 20 years. The Colts will play their first regular season game at Lucas Oil Stadium on September 7, 2008 against Super Bowl 41 rival the Chicago Bears. Located in downtown Indianapolis, the stadium will feature a retractable roof that will allow the Colts to play outside for the first time since the team moved to Indianapolis. From outside, the stadium will have a facade of brick and glass allowing it to fit in with the surrounding area. Lucas Oil Stadium will have seating for 63,000 that will be expandable to 70,000 for large events. The Fieldturf playing field will be 25ft below street level, allowing fans easier access to their seats. Many modern amenities will be found in the stadium from the high definition replay/scoreboards to the many luxury suites. Other than being the home of the Colts, the stadium will host the NCAA Basketball March Madness Tournaments and will be the permanent back up host for the Final Four Tournament. Lucas Oil Stadium will have one of the largest videoboards in the NFL. Consisting of three screens each, the 97-by-53-foot-high scoreboards will hang in the northwest and southeast corners of the building.
Official groundbreaking ceremonies for the stadium were held on September 20, 2005. After the Colts move into Lucas Oil Stadium, the RCA Dome will be demolished in order for the Indianapolis Convention Center to be expanded. In May 2008 the NFL awarded Indianapolis and Lucas Oil Stadium the biggest game in sports, Super Bowl XLVI that will be played on February 5, 2012.