Stadiums and Arenas to Be Built in 2021
While 2020 didn’t bring many opportunities to attend sporting events in person, that has not slowed down many plans for building large venues. When we’re able to attend games and events again, there will be a number of new stadiums and arenas throughout the United States coming next year. Like a lot of construction projects, these stadiums and arenas have been considered essential work throughout the country, allowing these projects to continue even as some leagues shut down and events were canceled. This progress has allowed a number of suppliers with concrete forms for sale, and other industries, to persist through the decrease in demand. Here are some of the biggest 2021 projects in the sports venue world to be looking forward to.
Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas
With 31 months of construction behind it, the Allegiant Stadium was completed in July of 2020, coming in at 1.8 million square feet total. Coming in at $1.97 billion, it is the second most expensive NFL stadium that exists. Delivered on time, the stadium received a certificate of occupancy on August 1, allowing it to house up to 65,000 people. There was no time delay as a result of the pandemic as far as building is concerned, though there was a mild outbreak onsite that resulted in fees and stricter regulations for construction workers.
The Allegiant Stadium will house the Las Vegas Raiders for their first season of play in their home city, as well as the football team at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. The inaugural season was played without any fans in the seats. However, when fans are able to return, they’ll appreciate features such as a retractable turf wall, a translucent roof, walls that open up to reveal a view of the Las Vegas Strip, and varying premium spaces on different levels.
SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles
Expected to be the most expensive NFL stadium in history, the Sofi Stadium is a project announced by Willow and Hollywood Park as not only a stadium, but also a technological advancement in the construction industry. The venue will have what’s known as a digital twin, or a completely virtual replica of its 300-acre area, including both a sports stadium and entertainment developments. This will provide analytics that can be captured to simulate the experience of attending a game as a form of research. Additionally, this lets facility managers identify areas that could create risk and ways to optimize sustainable practices.
As the new home of the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers, SoFi stadium is also expected to host the 2022 Super Bowl, the 2023 College Football Championship Game, and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies in the 2028 Summer Olympics.
World’s Largest Soccer Stadium in China
A $1.7 billion soccer stadium is set to be completed in 2022, at which time it will become the largest stadium specific to soccer in the world. In April of 2020, a member of the Chinese Football Association’s Chinese Super League broke ground on the project, which is set to be in the shape of a large lotus that holds 100,000 seats and 162 VIP boxes. The shape is an ode to China’s Flower City, Guangzhou, where the stadium will be located.
Shortly after China was able to lift their social distancing restrictions, construction began with hopes to meet the 2022 goal for completion. The stadium is expected to host events for the 2023 Asian Cup.
Seven Soccer Stadiums Across the United States
As Major League Soccer gains popularity in the United States, franchises have begun building more stadiums, with 7 in the works for existing franchises and expansion teams. With 26 current teams, the league plans to have 30 by 2022. To accommodate this growth, these projects are underway:
• West End Stadium in Ohio, a 550,000 square foot stadium being built with social distancing in mind.
• Austin F.C. Stadium in Texas, intended to house the city’s first major league sports team beginning in 2021.
• Columbus Crew Stadium in Ohio, a 20,000 seat stadium being funded by the successful MLS franchise.
• Miami Freedom Park in Florida, which will be used as a stadium and then eventually converted into a training center when a larger stadium is completed.
• St. Louis MLS Stadium in Missouri, for the city’s team which does not yet have a name.
• Nashville Fairgrounds Stadium in Tennessee, which is projected to open in 2022 despite some setbacks around unfair bidding practices in 2020.
• Railyards Stadium in California, a planned conversion of an abandoned railyard into a 240 entertainment center that includes a stadium.
With all of these projects and more on the horizon, it looks like 2021 will be in need of suppliers, concrete forms, and a solid construction infrastructure to support the growth.