University of Phoenix's Mega Stadium

Arizona Cardinals Facility Shows off New Tech

At first glance, the University of Phoenix's stadium looks like any other normal football ground. It is a large, menacing facility built for the purpose of hosting sports and other events. If you dig deeper though, you will see that it is a very modern structure utilizing technology that is rare in North America.

Located in Glendale, Arizona, the home of the NFL's Arizona Cardinals seats 63,400 (expandable to 73,719) and is a prominent regional land mark. Business week named it one of its "world class sports stadiums" and it is the only American sports facility on the list. The shape of the stadium is modeled loosely on the Barrel Cactus, a widespread plant in the Arizona desert.

Special Technology Features

The $455 million dollar stadium is undoubtedly a state of the art facility that features some pretty impressive technology. The first is the stadium's retractable roof, the first one ever built on an incline. It takes about 12 minutes for the roof to retract which is made from translucent 'bird air' fabric. It is also the first stadium in the USA to feature a fully retractable natural grass playing surface.

On one side of the stadium there is an opening that allows the playing field (which rests on a tray) to move to the exterior of the facility. The tray rests atop tracks and rolls out on steel wheel sets powered by small electric motors. It takes about 45 minutes for the field to be moved in or out of the stadium.

This allows the entire natural turf playing surface to be exposed to daylight and also saves money (50 million dollars annually) on not having to retract the roof for large periods of time. The grass receives the necessary nourishment it needs for optimal growth and it cuts down on humidity problems inside the stadium itself.

Another benefit is because the surface is natural grass, soccer games can be held at the venue. When the stadium is needed for trade shows, conventions, concerts, rodeos etc, the grass can be retracted outside and the space inside the building can be used without the playing surface being damaged. This allows the facility to be used all year round for quite a number of different events.

Past and Future Events

You may have seen the 2008-2009 NFC Championship game or Superbowl XLII played at this stadium already. It has been showcased as a premier venue and with the incorporated technology it has to offer, it's not hard to see why. It is reported that on March 28, 2010, Wrestlemania XXVI will be held at the University of Phoenix Stadium.