RCA Dome

RCA Dome
	The Dome in 2007
Former names	Hoosier Dome (1983–1994)
Address	100 South Capitol Avenue
Location	Indianapolis, Indiana
Coordinates	39°45′49″N 86°9′48″W / 39.76361°N 86.16333°W
Owner	Capital Improvement Board
Operator	Capital Improvement Board
Executive suites	104
Capacity	60,127 (1984–1991); 60,129 (1992–1995); 60,272 (1996–1997); 60,567 (1998); 56,127 (1999–2002); 55,506 (2003–2005); 55,531 (2006–2007)
Record attendance	WrestleMania VIII: 62,167 (April 5, 1992)
Surface	AstroTurf (1984–2004); FieldTurf (2005–2008)
Construction
Broke ground	27 May 1982; 39 years ago
Opened	5 August 1984; 37 years ago
Closed	26 February 2008; 13 years ago
Demolished	20 December 2008; 13 years ago
Construction cost	US$77.5 million; ($193 million in 2020 dollars)
Architect	HNTB; Browning Day Pollack Mullins Inc.
Structural engineer	Geiger Engineers
Services engineer	M&E Engineering Service, Inc.
General contractor	Huber, Hunt & Nichols
Tenants
	Indianapolis Colts (1984–2007)

The RCA Dome (originally Hoosier Dome) was a domed stadium in Indianapolis. It was the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons (1984–2007).

It was completed at a cost of $77.5 million, as part of the Indiana Convention Center, with the costs split between private and public money. The largest crowd to attend an event at the Dome was 62,167 for WrestleMania VIII in 1992. It was demolished on December 20, 2008, as part of a project to expand the attached convention center.

Description[]

The Birdair-designed dome was made up of teflon-coated fiberglass and weighed 257 short tons (229 long tons; 233 t), which was held up by the air pressure inside the building. The ceiling was 193 feet (59 m) high, though the height varied up to 5 feet (1.5 m) as the materials expanded and contracted with the weather.

Like other domes of this style (the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, BC Place, the Carrier Dome, and the Pontiac Silverdome) there were warning signs posted cautioning patrons of the high winds at the doors when exiting the facility.

History[]

Warm-ups before a game in the RCA Dome

Inside the RCA Dome

2006 NCAA Final Four

The domed stadium was similar in design and appearance to the Metrodome and the previous BC Place roof, owing in great part to the involvement of engineers David Geiger and Walter Bird, pioneers in air-supported roofs.^[4]

The stadium was originally named the Hoosier Dome until 1994 when RCA paid $10 million for the naming rights for 10 years, with two 5-year options to RCA at a cost of $3.5 million if invoked. The stadium seated 56,127 for football, the smallest in the NFL. Modifications were made to the stadium in 1999 to expand the suites and add club seating. Before that, the maximum seating for a football crowd was 60,272. The stadium was originally built to lure a National Football League team to Indianapolis. The still under construction dome was used to lure the then Baltimore Colts to town on March 29, 1984.

The Dome was officially dedicated on August 11, 1984, as a sellout crowd watched the Indianapolis Colts defeat the New York Giants in an NFL preseason game. The Buffalo Bills and Chicago Bears played a preseason game at the Hoosier Dome on August 26, 1984. The game had been scheduled prior to the Colts moving to Indianapolis.

The football playing surface was originally AstroTurf; it was replaced with FieldTurf in 2005.

The stadium was replaced by a new retractable-roof stadium, Lucas Oil Stadium, in time for the 2008 NFL season. The RCA Dome was replaced by additional space for the adjacent Indiana Convention Center. The new convention space connects to Lucas Oil Stadium in much the same way that the existing Indiana Convention Center had been connected to the RCA Dome (although the new connecting walkway now passes under a railroad track).

Demolition[]

On September 24, 2008, the roof of the Dome was deflated,^[5] which took about 45 minutes. The building itself was imploded on December 20, 2008, and was featured on the second series premiere of the National Geographic show Blowdown.

An Indianapolis nonprofit, People for Urban Progress, rescued 13 acres (5.3 ha) of the Dome roof. They work with local Indianapolis designers to recycle the material into community shade structures and art installations, as well as wallets, purses and bags.

Events[]

Football[]

Although the Dome never hosted any Super Bowls, it hosted the AFC Championship Game in 2006, which the Colts won. It also hosted three AFC Divisional Round games in 1999, 2005, and 2007, all of which the Colts lost, as well as three AFC Wild Card games in 2003, 2004, and 2006, all of which the Colts won.

Basketball[]

In addition to football, the Dome hosted several basketball games. The first game was an exhibition game in 1984 between an NBA All-Star team led by home-state hero Larry Bird and the United States Olympic Men's Basketball team, coached by Bob Knight, who was at the time the coach of Indiana University. The Dome also was the site of the NBA All-Star Game in February 1985, where a record NBA crowd of 43,146 saw the Western Conference beat the Eastern Conference 140–129.^[6] Since then it hosted many NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship games, including four Final Fours (1991, 1997, 2000, 2006). The NCAA, whose headquarters are in Indianapolis, has committed to holding the Final Four in Indianapolis once every five years. The RCA Dome hosted its only Women's Final Four in 2005. It served as one of two sites for the FIBA Men's Basketball World Championship in 2002, sharing the honors with Bankers Life Fieldhouse, the home of the Indiana Pacers.

Other sports[]

During the 1987 Pan American Games, the RCA Dome hosted the Gymnastics and Handball competitions as well as the closing ceremonies.^[7]

In 1991, the Dome hosted the 1991 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. In 1992, the Dome hosted WrestleMania VIII for the World Wrestling Federation.

In addition, it hosted the NCAA Men's Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships from 1989 to 1999, the 1990 General Conference Session of Seventh-day Adventists, the Indiana High School Athletic Association's annual boys and girls championships (with the boys' final game witnessed by the largest crowd [over 40,000] ever for a high school basketball game). Additionally, the RCA Dome served as the site of the Indiana State School Music Association State Marching Band Competition, the Bands of America Grand Nationals, and the Drum Corps International Midwestern Regional, along with the NFL Scouting Combine in February of each year. The 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Wrestling Trials were held in the Dome. It also hosted a PBR Built Ford Tough Series bull riding event in 2004.

Lucas Oil Stadium (left) replaced the RCA Dome (right) in 2008.

The Thunder in the Dome was a midget car race held from 1985 to 2001.^[8] The Dome also hosted an AMA Supercross Championship round from 1992 to 2008.^[9]

Concerts[]

Many concerts took place in the "Hoosier Dome" such as Farm Aid IV in 1990 (Elton John, Guns N' Roses, Lou Reed, John Mellencamp, Genesis, CSN&Y, Willie Nelson, Iggy Pop, Don Henley & Bonnie Raitt to name a few), The Monsters of Rock Festival (Van Halen, Metallica, Scorpions, Dokken, and Kingdom Come), the 1987 Pink Floyd reunion and the Rolling Stones. It also hosted events such as Indiana State University college football, Black Expo, Promise Keepers, truck pulls, wrestling and many high school events.

References[]

^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved January 1, 2020.
^ "Specifying Engineer". Specifying Engineer. Cahners Publishing Company. 53: 96. 1985.
^ "RCA Dome". Ballparks.com. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
^ Charlier, Claude (January 1988). "A Stadium with a "Lid"". Smithsonian. Columbia University. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
^ "RCA Dome Implosion Closest View". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
^ "NBA.com: 1985 All-Star Game: West 140, East 129". National Basketball Association. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
^ "Pan Am Games Schedule". United Press International, Inc. July 29, 1987. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
^ Special events are a special occurrence for USAC midget races - United States Auto Club, 13 December 2018
^ "2015 AMA Supercross media guide" (PDF). AMA Supercross. Retrieved February 4, 2019.

Events and tenants
Preceded by Memorial Stadium	Home of the Indianapolis Colts 1984–2008	Succeeded by Lucas Oil Stadium
Preceded by McNichols Sports Arena Continental Airlines Arena Tropicana Field Edward Jones Dome	NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Finals Venue 1991 1997 2000 2006	Succeeded by H.H.H. Metrodome Alamodome H.H.H. Metrodome Georgia Dome
Preceded by New Orleans Arena	NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament Finals Venue 2005	Succeeded by TD Banknorth Garden
Preceded by Gator Bowl Pontiac Silverdome	Host of Bands of America Grand National Championship 1984–1986 1989–2007	Succeeded by Pontiac Silverdome Lucas Oil Stadium
Preceded by McNichols Sports Arena	Host of the NBA All-Star Game 1985	Succeeded by Reunion Arena
Preceded by Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy Paris	IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics Venue 1987	Succeeded by Budapest Sportcsarnok Budapest
Preceded by Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena	Host of WrestleMania VIII 1992	Succeeded by Caesars Palace
Preceded by Invesco Field at Mile High	Host of AFC Championship Game 2007	Succeeded by Gillette Stadium

Coordinates: 39°45′49.17″N 86°9′47.95″W / 39.7636583°N 86.1633194°W / 39.7636583; -86.1633194

[inflation-US-1] 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved January 1, 2020.

[2] "Specifying Engineer". Specifying Engineer. Cahners Publishing Company. 53: 96. 1985.

[3] "RCA Dome". Ballparks.com. Retrieved February 4, 2019.

[4] Charlier, Claude (January 1988). "A Stadium with a "Lid"". Smithsonian. Columbia University. Retrieved February 4, 2019.

[5] "RCA Dome Implosion Closest View". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved February 4, 2019.

[6] "NBA.com: 1985 All-Star Game: West 140, East 129". National Basketball Association. Retrieved February 4, 2019.

[7] "Pan Am Games Schedule". United Press International, Inc. July 29, 1987. Retrieved April 19, 2020.

[8] Special events are a special occurrence for USAC midget races - United States Auto Club, 13 December 2018

[9] "2015 AMA Supercross media guide" (PDF). AMA Supercross. Retrieved February 4, 2019.

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v t Indianapolis Colts
Founded in 1953 Played in Baltimore (1953–1983) Based and headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana
Franchise	History in Baltimore relocation to Indianapolis Players Quarterbacks Coaches Seasons Draft First-round draft picks Ring of Honor
Stadiums	Memorial Stadium RCA Dome Lucas Oil Stadium
Culture	Carroll Rosenbloom Robert Irsay Jim Irsay 12th Man AAFC Colts Baltimore Colts Marching Band Blue Cheerleaders Parks and Recreation
Lore	The Greatest Game Ever Played Ghost to the Post 1995 AFC Championship Game Immaculate Redemption/The Tackle Deflategate Colts Catastrophe Snowvertime
Rivalries	Houston Texans New England Patriots Brady–Manning rivalry
Division championships (16)	1968 1970 1975 1976 1977 1987 1999 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2009 2010 2013 2014
Conference championships (7)	1958 1959 1964 1968 1970 2006 2009
League championships (5)	1958 1959 1968 1970 (V) 2006 (XLI)
Retired numbers	18 19 22 24 70 77 82 89
Media	Broadcasters WFNI-AM Bob Lamey Jim Sorgi
Current league affiliations	League: National Football League Conference: American Football Conference Division: South Division
Category

v t Defunct stadiums of the National Football League
Early era: 1920–1940	Akron's League Park Armory Park Baker Bowl Bellevue Park Bison Stadium Borchert Field Bosse Field Braves Field Buffalo Baseball Park Canisius College Canton's League Field Chicago Stadium City Stadium Clarkin Field Cleveland Stadium Comiskey Park Commercial Field Crosley Field Cub's Park Cycledrome Dinan Field Douglas Park Duluth's Athletic Park East Hartford Velodrome Ebbets Field Eclipse Park Fenway Park Forbes Field Frankford Stadium Griffith Stadium Hagemeister Park Horlick Field Kinsley Park Knights of Columbus Stadium League Park Lexington Park Luna Park Minersville Park Muehlebach Field Nash Field Navin Field Neil Park Newark Schools Stadium Newark Velodrome Nickerson Field Nicollet Park Normal Park Parkway Field Philadelphia Municipal Stadium Polo Grounds Shaw Stadium Spartan Municipal Stadium Sportsman's Park Staley Field Star Park (possible) Swayne Field Thompson Stadium Tiger Stadium Triangle Park Wisconsin State Fair Park Yankee Stadium (1923)
Merger era: 1941–1970	Alumni Stadium Astrodome Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium Balboa Stadium Baltimore Memorial Stadium Busch Memorial Stadium Busch Stadium Cleveland Stadium Comiskey Park Dyche Stadium Ebbets Field Fenway Park Forbes Field Frank Youell Field Franklin Field Griffith Stadium Harvard Stadium Jeppesen Stadium Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Kansas City Municipal Stadium Kezar Stadium Metropolitan Stadium Miami Orange Bowl Milwaukee County Stadium Nickerson Field Nippert Stadium Oakland Coliseum Philadelphia Municipal Stadium Pitt Stadium Polo Grounds Rice Stadium Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium San Diego Stadium Shibe Park Tiger Stadium Tulane Stadium Wisconsin State Fair Park Wrigley Field Yankee Stadium (1923)
Current era: 1971–present	Angel Stadium Astrodome Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium Busch Memorial Stadium Candlestick Park Cleveland Stadium Cotton Bowl The Dome at America's Center Foxboro Stadium Georgia Dome Giants Stadium Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Kansas City Municipal Stadium Kingdome Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Metropolitan Stadium Miami Orange Bowl Mile High Stadium Milwaukee County Stadium RCA Dome Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Oakland Coliseum Riverfront Stadium San Diego Stadium Shea Stadium Silverdome Sun Devil Stadium Tampa Stadium Texas Stadium Three Rivers Stadium Tiger Stadium Tulane Stadium Veterans Stadium War Memorial Stadium Yankee Stadium (1923)
Stadiums used by NFL teams temporarily	Alamodome (New Orleans Saints)1 Champaign Memorial Stadium (Chicago Bears)† Clemson Memorial Stadium (Carolina Panthers)† Dignity Health Sports Park (Los Angeles Chargers)† Frankford High School's Community Memorial Stadium (Frankford Yellow Jackets)1 Giants Stadium (New Orleans Saints)1 Grant Field (Atlanta Falcons) Husky Stadium (Seattle Seahawks)1† Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium (Tennessee Oilers)† LSU Tiger Stadium (New Orleans Saints)1 Marquette Stadium (Green Bay Packers) Philadelphia Municipal Stadium (Philadelphia Eagles)1 Shibe Park1 Stanford Stadium (San Francisco 49ers)1 TCF Bank Stadium (Minnesota Vikings)1† University of Minnesota Memorial Stadium (Minnesota Vikings)1 Vanderbilt Stadium (Tennessee Titans)† Yale Bowl (New York Giants)†
†= Team's stadium under construction or refurbishment at time 1 = A team used the stadium when their permanent stadium was unable to be used as a result of damage.