Affordable Indoor High School Stadiums

Your local High School or community college can now afford an indoor football stadium! A Monolithic Dome Indoor Stadium/Field house can be built for about the same amount of money as an outdoor football stadium.

August 27, 2004

by David B. South

Before the Monolithic Dome, enclosing a stadium was too expensive an undertaking for a school district or local college. Standard methods for enclosing a stadium cost far too much. Those that have spent the money on traditional indoor facilities face energy efficiencies so low that the costs of heating or cooling are outrageous. Not only that, but building maintenance is also extremely expensive.

The Monolithic Dome allows us to build stadiums with affordable construction, maintenance and energy costs.

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A Monolithic Dome stadium offers control over the weather, temperature, insects and security. In addition to the control factors, its marketability promises increased revenue for owners. Such an undertaking comes off extremely well when you amortize the cost of the facility over the actual benefits of the community.

The Benefits of Monolithic Dome Indoor Stadiums

Protection & Safety

A Monolithic Dome indoor events center offers a safe haven to children during the school day and to the entire community when tornado warnings sound. A 450-foot dome would provide 159,000 square feet of floor area (not including the upper levels of space) and seating for nearly 9,000 -- ample space to fit an entire community of 10,000 during threatening storms, earthquakes or tornadoes. Your indoor Monolithic Dome stadium would be the safest building in town and offer shelter for everyone during a natural or man-made disaster.

Energy & Maintenance

Energy and Maintenance costs for a Monolithic Dome are generally 50% less than other conventional structures. We have found that energy savings ammortized over 20 years often pay for the cost of the facility. Because the stadium is enclosed and out of the weather, maintenance on the field, track, bleachers, concession stands, bathrooms and locker rooms is greatly reduced. The dome itself is a virtually maintenance free structure. Over the years it will need to be washed, and perhaps painted, but the building is permanent. It won't rot or slowly fall apart like many traditional facilities.

Marketability and Return on Investment

Because the Monolithic stadium/fieldhouse is designed as a multi-use facility it can be rented out to civic organizations, other school districts and more. In addition, the stadium can be used for the district's own events, such as graduation, saving on rental fees of their own.

Return on investment or ROI is what we make on what we invest. The money made by renting or leasing the facility will not only pay for its own maintenance and electricity, it could, if managed properly, be an excellent source of income. When bad weather hits, be it rain, storms, snow or lightning the event could still be held -- maintaining its income through the rental fee, concessions and ticket sales. Using a school bond to build this type of facility makes good financial sense. Facility rental fees from other groups and the dome's energy savings ensure the building not only pays for itself, but makes money at the same time. It's a win-win situation for the school and community.

Projected Income for Various Events

Field/Track events from nearby colleges, universities $9,000.00 per day

Soccer, Rugby, Lacross games from local and state tournaments $10,500 per day

Graduation ceremonies of over 9,000 seats $8,000 per day.

Graduation ceremonies of under 8,000 seats $7500.00 per day

Traveling road shows, concerts of up to 14,000 seats with portable stage (30% of gate receipts)

Civic/Charity events (Walk for Cancer or similar) Clean up fees only

Political Rallies, local, state or county - $9,000 day

Local fairs/exhibits/and trade shows - field only $7,000 each day plus clean up fee

Expositions, educational meetings, science fairs - $1,000.00 each day plus clean up fee

U.I.L. football playoffs split fees and parking/concessions

Professional football, baseball, soccer teams training camps $50,000 per week

Summer youth training camps - clean up fee only

Church conferences/revival meetings over 5,000 seats $4,000.00 per day

Red Cross emergency shelter open to public

Other Uses

Here is a partial list of even more ways in which this enclosed stadium could be used:

Tennis (on turf with striping changes)

Basketball

Volleyball

PE Activities

Concerts

Competitions of all kinds

Weight lifting

Meetings

Pep Rallies

Softball practice

Improved Design Options

Monolithic Domes are built without interior support columns creating a clear span structure. No visual obstructions from any seat in the dome is a definite plus for spectators! There's nothing worse than getting stuck near behind a large support column when you want to catch the action on the field. Clear span construction allows for increased design options for seating, locker rooms, concessions, lighting, score boards, offices and more. There is no way the district could afford to build a clear span stadium any other way.

The ground level of an indoor facility could include a full-size football field and a track plus the following amenities:

4 concession stands

4 team locker rooms

2 Sports Trainer rooms

Restrooms

Weight Room

Conference room/class room/teaching

8 coaches offices

More than 3,000 square feet of storage space

seating for 8-10,000 people

Laundry and uniform area

4 waiting rooms (small lobby-like)

Sky boxes

TV Platforms

The upper level, or mechanical level, could include floor-mounted, indirect lighting, and access to all mechanical units such as heating, air-conditioning and scoreboards.

Indoor Stadium a "No Brainer"

It seems ludicrous to spend over $14 million for an outdoor stadium where only five or six home football games will be played per year. Why not build an enclosed stadium which offers multiple uses and serves as a protection to the children and the community for nearly the same price. Since the stadium could be rented by other districts to host different events, it has the potential to become an asset -- a serious money maker -- instead of a huge expense.

An indoor stadium for the same price as an outdoor football facility should be a "no brainer."

School Board afraid to be first

Although many school districts have been serious enough to have architectural plans and designs created, and even paid for feasibility studies to be done, there hasn't been a district yet to accept the challenge of being first to build an affordable Monolithic Indoor High School stadium.

In 2004, a Texas school district passed a bond for an outdoor football facility. Monolithic proposed that for nearly the same amount of money they could construct an indoor stadium which would include an indoor track, locker rooms, weight room, air-conditioning and year round usability. The facility could be rented by the city, other schools and community organizations to generate revenue for the district. But when it came to a vote during a school board meeting, the board rejected the proposal by a split vote. One board member repeatedly expressed concern about "being first" to build such a facility and in doing so, convinced others to vote in his favor. This same member even said, "he did not want to be first at anything." He harped on this to the point of rejection.

Monolithic likes to be first

Monolithic Domes have created a "first" in almost every category of construction. Over the years we have built the first Monolithic Dome churches, storages, homes, schools and more. Being first in a high school stadium is not a very big leap from being first in a large church or a large fertilizer storage. There are so many benefits to Indoor Monolithic Dome Stadiums, it's time to get over the mind set that being first isn't always the best. In many cases being first is the wisest thing a corporation, city or school district can be.

Some day very soon, a community college or school district will have the courage to be first and we are certain many others will follow the lead.