Lucas Oil Stadium facts for kids
 |
|
Lucas Oil Stadium in 2016
|
|
 Lucas Oil Stadium
Location in Indianapolis
Lucas Oil Stadium
Location in Indiana
Lucas Oil Stadium
Location in the United States
|
|
| Address | 500 South Capitol Avenue |
|---|---|
| Location | Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 39°45′36.2″N 86°9′49.7″W / 39.760056°N 86.163806°W |
| Public transit |   24 |
| Owner | Indiana Stadium and Convention Building Authority (State of Indiana) |
| Operator | Capital Improvement Board of Managers of Marion County, Indiana |
| Executive suites | 139 |
| Capacity | Basketball: 70,000 American football: 63,000 Marching band: 24,000 (approx) |
| Surface | FieldTurf (2008–2018) Shaw Sports Momentum Pro (2018–2024) Hellas Matrix Turf (2024–present) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | September 20, 2005 |
| Opened | August 16, 2008 |
| Construction cost | US$720 million ($902 million in 2021 dollars ) |
| Architect | HKS, Inc. A2so4 Architecture Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf, Inc. |
| Project manager | John Klipsch Consulting LLC |
| Structural engineer | Walter P Moore/Fink Roberts & Petrie |
| Services engineer | Moore Engineers PC |
| General contractor | Hunt/Smoot/Mezzetta |
| Tenants | |
| Indianapolis Colts (NFL) (2008–present) Indy Eleven (USLC) (2018–2020) NFL Scouting Combine (2009–present) |
|
Lucas Oil Stadium is a huge building in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. It's a place where many different events happen. This stadium is the home field for the Indianapolis Colts, a professional NFL football team.
The stadium first opened its doors on August 16, 2008. It was built to replace an older stadium called the RCA Dome. Lucas Oil Stadium is special because it has a roof that can open and close, and a big window that also opens. This means events can be held indoors or outdoors! The outside of the stadium looks like many other buildings in the area, with reddish-brown brick and limestone.
Contents
Stadium Name: Lucas Oil
Before Lucas Oil Stadium was built, the Indianapolis Colts played at the RCA Dome. In 2006, a company called Lucas Oil paid a lot of money to have the new stadium named after them. Lucas Oil makes special oils and lubricants for cars and other machines. They agreed to this deal for 20 years.
Cool Features of Lucas Oil Stadium
Lucas Oil Stadium is very big! It can hold about 63,000 people for football games. The stadium has 139 special rooms called suites and two large club areas. There are also two big exhibit halls and 12 meeting rooms. You can see scores and replays on two huge HD video screens. These screens are about 53 feet tall!
Other cool things about the stadium include:
- A large space for exhibits, about 183,000 square feet.
- 7 locker rooms for teams and performers.
- 11 indoor docks for trucks to load and unload.
- 14 escalators to help people move around.
- 11 elevators for passengers.
- 2 ramps that are easy for everyone to use.
Opening and Closing Roof
One of the most amazing features is the stadium's roof. It can open or close in just about 11 minutes! The roof is made of two huge panels. Each panel weighs about 2.5 million pounds. The home team gets to decide if the roof will be open or closed before a game.
Retractable Window View
The stadium also has a large window on its north side that can open. When it's open, people inside can enjoy a great view of downtown Indianapolis. This is a cool feature for games, concerts, and other events.
Gate Sponsors: Who Supports the Stadium?
The four main entrances, or gates, at Lucas Oil Stadium have special names. Most are named after companies that help support the stadium. The South Gate is named after the Indianapolis Colts team.
- Lucas Oil (north gate)
- Huntington Bank (west gate)
- Caesars Entertainment (south gate)
- Verizon Wireless (east gate)
Inside these gates, you'll find banners and floor designs with the company logos. They also have advertisements and places to buy merchandise.
Exciting Events at Lucas Oil Stadium
.jpg)
Lucas Oil Stadium hosts many different events throughout the year. It's a busy place!
Annual Events
Some events happen every year at the stadium:
- Bands of America Grand National Championships (for marching bands)
- Big Ten Football Championship Game (college football)
- Circle City Classic (college football)
- Drum Corps International World Championships (for drum and bugle corps)
- FDIC International (a big firefighting convention)
- IHSAA Indiana State Football Championships (high school football)
- ISSMA Marching Band State Finals (high school marching bands)
- Monster Energy AMA Supercross (motorcycle racing)
- Monster Jam (monster truck shows)
- NFL Draft Combine (where future NFL players show their skills)
- National FFA Convention (for future farmers and leaders)
Upcoming Major Events
The stadium will host these big events in the future:
- NCAA Men's Basketball Regional Semifinals and Final (March 2025)
- NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four (April 2026 and April 2029)
Past Significant Events
Many important events have already taken place here:
- Super Bowl XLVI (a huge NFL championship game) in 2012
- Kenny Chesney concerts (several times)
- NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four (in 2010, 2015, and 2021)
- One Direction concert in 2015
- Taylor Swift's Reputation Stadium Tour in 2018
- College Football Playoff National Championship in 2022
- 2024 United States Olympic Trials for Swimming
- Taylor Swift – The Eras Tour in November 2024
Football Games
The very first games at Lucas Oil Stadium were high school football games on August 22, 2008. The Indianapolis Colts played their first game there on August 24, 2008. Their first regular season game was against the Chicago Bears on September 7, 2008.
Soccer Matches
The first soccer game at the stadium was on August 1, 2013. Two famous teams, Chelsea and Inter Milan, played in front of over 41,000 fans.
| Date | Winning Team | Result | Losing Team | Tournament | Spectators |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 1, 2013 |  Chelsea |
2–0 |  Inter Milan |
2013 International Champions Cup First Round | 41,983 |
From 2018 to 2020, the Indy Eleven soccer team also played their home games at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Basketball Tournaments
In March 2021, Lucas Oil Stadium hosted many games for the 2021 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. This was because the tournament had to be held in one state due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The stadium hosted games from almost every round, including the championship game. It will host the men's Final Four again in 2026.
The stadium also hosted some events for the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend.
Swimming Competitions
In 2024, Lucas Oil Stadium hosted the USA Swimming Olympic trials. This event had a huge crowd of over 20,000 people, which was the largest ever for an indoor swim meet! Because it was so successful, the stadium will host the Olympic trials again in 2028.
Professional Wrestling Events
Lucas Oil Stadium hosted the 2025 Royal Rumble, a big professional wrestling event. It is also planned to host future SummerSlam and WrestleMania events.
Marching Arts Competitions
Since 2009, Lucas Oil Stadium has been the home for the Drum Corps International (DCI) World Championships. This is a major competition for drum and bugle corps. The stadium also hosts the Bands of America Grand National Championships and the Indiana Marching Band State Finals.
Concerts and Live Shows
Lucas Oil Stadium is a popular place for big concerts and entertainment. Many famous artists have performed here.
| Date | Artist | Opening Act(s) | Tour / Concert Name | Attendance | Revenue | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 13, 2008 | Kenny Chesney | Keith Urban LeAnn Rimes Gary Allan Luke Bryan Sammy Hagar |
The Poets and Pirates Tour | 50,528 / 50,528 | $3,835,609 | The stadium's first public concert. |
| September 19, 2009 | Kenny Chesney | Miranda Lambert Sugarland Montgomery Gentry Zac Brown Band |
Sun City Carnival Tour | 45,178 / 45,178 | $3,016,365 | |
| February 5, 2012 | Madonna | Super Bowl XLVI halftime show | ||||
| July 28, 2012 | Kenny Chesney Tim McGraw |
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals Jake Owen |
Brothers of the Sun Tour | 41,671 / 43,864 | $3,509,151 | |
| May 9, 2015 | Kenny Chesney Eric Church |
Brantley Gilbert Chase Rice Old Dominion |
The Big Revival Tour | 43,675 / 44,872 | $4,064,335 | |
| July 31, 2015 | One Direction | Icona Pop | On the Road Again Tour | 42,196 / 42,196 | $3,426,589 | |
| September 10, 2017 | U2 | Beck | The Joshua Tree Tour 2017 | 51,731 / 51,731 | $5,970,055 | |
| September 15, 2018 | Taylor Swift | Camila Cabello Charli XCX |
Taylor Swift's Reputation Stadium Tour | 55,729 / 55,729 | $6,531,245 | Second-highest attended concert at the stadium. |
| September 8, 2021 | Guns N' Roses | Mammoth WVH | Guns N' Roses 2020 Tour | |||
| August 16, 2022 | Mötley Crüe Def Leppard |
Poison Joan Jett Classless Act |
The Stadium Tour | - | - | |
| September 9, 2022 | John Mellencamp | Buddy Guy John Hiatt | ||||
| April 4, 2024 | Morgan Wallen | Bailey Zimmerman Nate Smith Lauren Watkins |
One Night At a Time World Tour | |||
| April 5, 2024 | ||||||
| October 12, 2024 | Pink | Sheryl Crow KidCutUp The Script |
P!NK: Summer Carnival | |||
| November 1, 2024 | Taylor Swift | Gracie Abrams | The Eras Tour | - | - | New high attendance record set at every show. Swift was the first act to perform three shows at the stadium on a single tour. November 3 was also the final Eras Tour show in the United States. |
| November 2, 2024 | ||||||
| November 3, 2024 |
How Lucas Oil Stadium Was Paid For
Building Lucas Oil Stadium cost a total of $720 million. The money came from the State of Indiana and the City of Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Colts team also contributed $100 million. To help pay for it, some taxes were increased in the area.
Stadium Incidents
Sometimes, unexpected things can happen at big stadiums.
- On September 8, 2013, a rail above a tunnel fell, and two fans were hurt. They were checked at the hospital, but no one was seriously injured.
- On September 3, 2015, three fans were hurt when a bolt fell from the roof. This happened while the roof was opening during a football game. Officials checked the stadium and said it was safe. The roof stayed closed until they figured out why the bolt fell.
Construction Pictures
-
Early phases of construction
-
Satellite image
-
Mid-stage of construction
See also
In Spanish: Lucas Oil Stadium para niños
- List of current National Football League stadiums
- List of American football stadiums by capacity
- List of music venues in the United States
- List of attractions and events in Indianapolis
- List of tallest buildings in Indianapolis#Other structures § Notes
- List of tallest buildings in Indiana
- History of the Indianapolis Colts
- Statue of Peyton Manning
