Round Valley Ensphere facts for kids
Front of the dome with main entrance
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| Location | Eagar, Arizona, USA |
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| Coordinates | 34°07′14″N 109°17′06″W / 34.120427°N 109.284959°W |
| Owner | Round Valley High School/Round Valley Unified School District |
| Capacity | Volleyball, basketball: 9,000 American football: 5,500 |
| Field size | Diameter – 440 ft (130 m) Volume – 189,000 sq ft (17,600 m2) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1990 |
| Opened | October 11, 1991 |
| Construction cost | US$11,000,000 ($23.6 million in 2022 dollars ) |
| Architect | Rossman Schneider Gadbery Shay |
| General contractor | Sletten Construction Company |
The Round Valley Ensphere is a special sports stadium in Eagar, Arizona, USA. It's sometimes called the Tot Workman Dome. What makes it unique is that it's a huge wooden dome, and it's the only domed stadium in the United States used by a high school for football!
This amazing building is owned by Round Valley High School and the local school district. It opened in 1991 and cost about $11 million to build. Inside, it can hold 5,500 people for football games and even more, 9,000 people, for basketball and volleyball. The dome covers a massive area, about 189,000 square feet!
Contents
History of the Round Valley Ensphere
The idea for the dome started in 1987. A plan was approved to raise $12 million for the dome and other repairs. Most of this money, $11 million, was paid by Tucson Electric Power. This company operates a power station nearby and pays a large part of the area's property taxes.
Construction on the dome began in the summer of 1990. Sadly, work had to stop for three months after an accident. Two workers fell from wooden beams and passed away. After a careful reinspection, construction continued.
The very first football game inside the dome was held on October 11, 1991. The Payson High School Longhorns played in this historic event.
In 2015, the dome had to close for almost a year. Heavy rains caused water damage inside the building. This damage affected the artificial turf, leading to high levels of mercury vapor. The facility needed special cleaning to make it safe again. The Round Valley football team played outside for the 2015 season. They were able to return to their dome for games in 2016.
More recently, in September 2024, the school decided to rename the facility. It was renamed in honor of their former head coach, Tot Workman.
How the Dome is Built
The Ensphere is a very large space, enclosing about 8 million cubic feet. It was the first dome of its kind that allowed a lot of natural light and heat to come in. This means it could be bright inside without needing too many electric lights during the day!
What the Dome is Used For
School Activities
The dome is a busy place for football games. But it's not just for football! Students also use the facility for basketball, track and field events, and soccer.
Community Events
Beyond school sports, the dome hosts other events for the community. For example, it has been used for car shows.
The dome has also served as a safe place during emergencies. In 2002, a huge wildfire called the Rodeo-Chediski fire forced many people to leave their homes. The dome became a shelter, taking in 9,800 people. This tripled the population of Eagar overnight! It was a big help to those who needed a safe place to stay.
Later, in 2016, another fire, the Cedar Fire, caused evacuations in Pinetop. Once again, the Round Valley Dome was opened to help people who needed to evacuate.
See also
- Walkup Skydome – another wooden dome in Arizona, built in 1977 for sports and other uses
- Tacoma Dome, 1983 ensphere-design arena built for a much larger capacity
