Ten Super Trivia Facts About Lucas Oil Stadium That You Need to Know for Super Sunday

MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Though the retractable roof and end zone walls will likely be closed on February 5 during The Big Game, fans and attendees at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana can still marvel at these state-of-the-art components, designed by Minneapolis-based Uni-Systems, that help make the stadium a first-ratefootballvenue.

1.	Lucas Oil Stadium features the largest retractable roof in the NFL. Two roof panels, each approximately 150 feet long by 600 feet wide, open to reveal 180,000 square feet of sky to the fans below.
2.	Each roof panel weighs 725 tons, or 1.45 million pounds. The combined total weight of the roof, including mechanization, is approximately 5.85 million pounds.
3.	Over a1/2 mile (3,000 feet) of rail supports the roof. Each roof panel rides on 5 parallel steel rails. Rails are angled at 13.2 degrees from the center of the roof to the ground, allowing fortheroof to be opened by gravity.
4.	Each roof panel is hoisted close utilizing 16 cable drum drives. Cable drums are attached to the roof panels and spool cable that is anchored at the peak of the roof. This non-traditional arrangement allows for a dramatically simplified roof control system.
5.	Sixteen 1-1/2 inch steel cables support each roof panel. The retractable roof control system constantly monitors and compares tension in each cable to insure each one is carrying an equal share of the panel.
6.	The roof is controlled by a single operator. Eight cameras mounted on the roof provide the operator with a clear view of the roof panels and rails during roof movement.
7.	The roof can fully open or close in only 11 minutes. Each cable drum drive produces 480 horsepower and 1.4 million foot pounds of torque to move the roof panels at a maximum speed of 18 feet per minute, or 0.25 miles per hour.
8.	To keep out the elements, the roof system contains nearly1/2 mile of weather-tight seals. In addition to the seals at each roof panel edge, a hydraulically powered ridge cap moves in to cover the 600-foot seam where the two panels meet. This assures the fans and the field will always be protected from any turbulent weather outside.
9.	The operable North window wall is one of the largest of its kind in the world, second only to the operable wall at Cowboys Stadium. The 88-foot tall glass wall is made up of 6 panels that run along rails mounted on the stadium floor. When open, the wall provides fans with a 214-foot-wide window in the end-zone and a perfectly framed view of the Indianapolis skyline.
10.	The operable window wall can open or close in only 4 minutes. Wall panels move, at a maximum speed of 30 feet per minute, to open with 3 panels stacked behind each other on either side of the wall opening.

Uni-Systems is internationally known for its innovative designs in kinetic architecture, in which transformative, mechanized structures change with climate, need or purpose. Its engineers work with clients to develop unique solutions that suit exactly what their clients require. Uni-Systems has become especially recognized in the professional sports industry for its numerous retractable roof mechanization systems and consultation services. www.uni-systems.com

SOURCE Uni-Systems