Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
New stadium builds and renovations are all about combining the old with the new — the continuation of some trends and the emergence of others.
“There are old trends that are continually at the forefront, with the ongoing evolution of things we’ve seen in the past like diversity of premium seating in a range of price points as well as new developments, which have been designed as part of urban revitalization projects,” said Ryan Gedney, vice president, senior project designer at HOK, Kansas City.
Some of HOK’s most recent venues serve as examples of how stadium designs have evolved, including Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium’s 360-degree high definition video board and Florida’s Hard Rock Stadium’s open air canopy and roof structure.
“One of the big things we’re seeing is people figuring out whether or not to repurpose old facilities,” said Don Dethlefs, principal at Denver-based Sinks Combs Dethlefs. “It comes down to how the building is initially designed and if it can be made to feel modernized for half the price of new construction.”
Upscaling amenities to enhance the guest experience is one of many design trends in both new and renovated stadiums.
As a result, today’s stadiums are more likely to provide access to a number of different environments as part of the ticket price. Yet, unlike in the past where this was limited to those with premium seats or guests who paid higher ticket prices, amenities are being added to standard seating.
“We would accomplish this in two ways,” said Gedney. “We’d either take the best seats in the house and provide more amenities or take the lesser seats, like those at the end or in the balcony, and add amenities to make them better.”
“Whereas offerings used to be limited to box, reserved and general admission seating, now we may have 20 to 30 different ticket tiers to provide a variety of experiences,” said Bruce Miller, senior principal at Populous, headquartered in Kansas City, Mo.
Yet, with the most recent stadium designs, it has become less likely that people will remain in their seats for an entire event.
This is due to additional communal spaces where venue visitors can more easily socialize with friends and family.
Food and beverage offerings also continue to be a differentiating factor for stadiums. Although the requisite popcorn, hot dogs, beer and soda are still present, menus tend to be more specialized, of higher quality and regional.
“In general, the infrastructure is there to provide a variety of food types, as the cooking facilities are very flexible,” said Miller. “But now we have theming and the merchandising experience is more personal with grab-and-go and retail concepts.”
An example is Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, which has concentrated on farm-to-fork ingredients for its menu offerings featuring local products.
“We’re elevating and applying a hospitality design mindset to everything we’re doing,” said Mark Carter, principal at Atlanta’s TVS Design, the stadium’s designer. “The price point at MB Stadium also is not what’s typical for this type of venue. We kept costs at street value, rather than instituting price hikes.”
On an urban design scale, larger venues are attempting to better partner with city districts and are more likely to serve as catalysts for broader development projects.
“The trend is about how to design venues to be active participants in the public realm as opposed to being a detriment to the area,” said Gedney.
For example, St. Paul’s Minnesota United FC project and Lakeland, Fla.’s Joker Marchant Stadium will include pedestrian-accessible stores and restaurants that are open every day, rather than just during event hours.
In recent years, many stadiums have become anchors in urban developments and others have revitalized neighborhoods.
“Our Allentown project (Pennsylvania’s PPL Center) was combined with a hotel, meeting space, restaurants and retail spaces to bring more people into the downtown,” said Dethlefs. “When facilities aren’t open during the day, it doesn’t do much for the area, so it’s best to combine these with other destinations as a development tool.”
This coincides with more stadiums being designed for multiuse. Instead of just sporting events, these facilities are geared for concerts, family shows and private parties or meetings.
The aging demographic is also increasingly being taken into account, as new and renovated stadiums seek to conform to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
“It’s about how to accomplish this in a smart way and be accommodating,” said Dethlefs. “It’s easier to conform in new buildings and can be much more challenging with renovations, depending on the design. We’ve found the ability to conform to ADA requirements can be a deciding factor in whether to renovate or start from scratch.”
NEW TAKES ON TECHNOLOGY
State-of-the-art technology is definitely becoming more of a design factor.
Gedney predicts, in the next five years, augmented reality will have a massive impact on the industry and its venues.
Augmented reality is defined as technology that superimposes a computer-generated image on a user's view of the real world, subsequently providing a composite view.
“I believe this technology will shrink to the size of eye glasses and ultimately displace smartphones,” said Gedney. “Once this happens, there’ll be no need for signage or rigging or menu boards for concessions. This will be one of the most fundamental challenges in terms of what we design in the near term.”
Gedney also foresees stadiums and arenas selling out for big e-Sports gaming, which has not been designed for physical venues yet.
The technology infrastructure is key to many upgrades for now and in the future. For example, Mercedes-Benz Stadium has installed 4,000 miles of fiber cable to accommodate its systems. It also will include the first halo scoreboard or video in the round, a 58-foot-tall complete ring screen.
“It’s a huge game-changing attitude that adds to the experience,” said Carter. “Today’s technology personalizes the experience and provides special content in venues that people cannot get at home.”
The recent renovation at West Virginia University’s Puskar Stadium in Morgantown included a new video system that is three times wider than the old south end zone system and with higher resolution LED quality. Two LED fascia boards running down each sideline provide in-game statistics, scoring, messaging and sponsor advertising. A south bowl auxiliary board was also installed.
AESTHETIC MATERIALS
Technology notwithstanding, updated aesthetics using the latest materials has become a hallmark of new and renovated stadiums.
Populous’ $150-million, 20,000-seat Minnesota United MLS soccer stadium, scheduled to open in 2018, will employ a new architectural fabric material called Translucent PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene). This building skin is designed to protect fans from the elements.
“It’s a mesh that’s back lit, flowing and has a beautiful visual impact, said Miller. “The [mixing of] fabrics and architecture are becoming more prevalent in this country, and are a new focus for us.”