Las Vegas Stadium Co. COO Don Webb said that construction of the new Raiders venue is "on schedule and on budget," with one-third of the venue now complete, according to Richard Velotta of the LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL. The Raiders have spent $564.5M on construction so far, including $171.5M in "public money." Safety measures "involving one of the two large openings" within the $1.8B stadium were "unanimously approved Thursday by the Las Vegas Stadium Authority." An agreement for "doors and columns operations for a 9,500-ton field tray containing a natural grass field grown outdoors and wheeled on rails inside the stadium for games was one of the few action items in the authority's one-hour meeting." A safety agreement for the "opening on the north end of the stadium and its lanai doors is expected to be brought up to a future meeting." Most of Thursday's meeting "involved reports on the construction of the stadium" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 1/18).
OPEN-DOOR POLICY: The REVIEW-JOURNAL's Velotta noted the opening at the stadium will be "similar to those offered at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis and U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis." Both of those stadium doors "open to views of their respective downtowns." Webb said that Raiders Owner Mark Davis "wanted to have the feel of an outdoor stadium, even in a desert climate." Webb added that the team "looked at the sexier option of a retractable roof, but the reality was that most of the time the roof would be closed because of the late summer and early fall desert heat." Webb said that the "translucent roof will allow some natural light into the building and the exterior glass will be canted at a 12-degree angle," and the glass will "be black." A plaza near the opening will have an "eternal flame" that will be "lit in memory" of late owner Al Davis (REVIEW-JOURNAL.com, 1/17).
