Allegiant Stadium is the latest jewel in the Las Vegas crown

Gold Award

Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, Nev.

Project information

Project size: 1.8 million sf

Project cost: $1.6 billion

Construction time: November 2017 - July 2020

Delivery Method: Hybrid design-build

Building Team

Submitting Firm: HNTB Corporation

Owner/Developer: The Las Vegas Raiders/LV Stadium Events Company

Architect: Manica Architecture

Architect of Record: HNTB Corporation

Interior Architect: Manica Architecture/HNTB Corporation

Structural Engineer: Arup

MEP Engineer: Smith Seckman Reid

General Contractor: Mortenson-McCarthy (joint venture)

Judges’ Comments

“The design is the perfect mix of Las Vegas and the Raiders. The teamwork that went into delivering the project a year ahead of the original schedule took creative problem solving that the team should be proud of.”

“Beautiful project and innovative playing field”

Essay from HNTB

In the latter half of 2015, HNTB, in collaboration with Manica Architecture, had been advancing  plans to build the Raiders new stadium in Carson, California, (Los Angeles), pending NFL approval of  the relocation. In January 2016, the Rams project in Inglewood, California, was selected as the franchise to return the NFL to the L.A. market after a 20-year absence.  

While representatives from HNTB and Manica were attending a coordination meeting for the Carson-based project, they saw social media light up with the news of the NFL owner’s decision.  

At first disappointing, the announcement presented an opportunity for the Raiders to explore other cities, and for them, Las Vegas was the obvious choice. Vegas’s edgy, exciting, larger-than-life character seemed a great fit with the Raiders brand. 

The Raiders quickly turned their attention to Las Vegas, and by the summer of 2016, the basic  terms of a deal to relocate the team to the Silver State were solidifying. In early 2017, HNTB and the  project team were hand-selected by the Raiders to deliver the project. The stadium’s original opening date had been planned for July 2021. During a coordination meeting in March 2017, Don Webb, the Raiders chief operating officer, informed the project team of a likely major change to the schedule. 

A hybrid design-build delivery method was the only possible means to achieve the  compressed schedule. The delivery method increased the client’s level of engagement, giving the Raiders total control of the project’s character, quality, quantity and experience during  the early, critical design stages leading up to the GMP.

Project team achievements

• On-time, under-budget delivery. Relying on a hybrid design-build delivery method, the project team delivered the stadium in time for the NFL’s 2020 season and under the $1.6 billion guaranteed maximum price budget – despite having the schedule cut by one year and finishing within the challenges of a global pandemic. The Raiders received the Temporary Certificate of Occupancy and the Certificate of Substantial Completion one day before the originally planned date.   

• Only the second retractable playing field in the U.S. Raiders owner Mark Davis insisted on playing football the way it was intended – on natural grass. The moveable field is in response to his request. 

• The first cable-net-supported ETFE roof in the U.S. The structure stretches the limits of ethylene tetrafluoroethylene coverings.  

• The country’s most technologically advanced stadium. Allegiant’s massive 40-gig fiber-optic backbone means 65,000 fans won’t miss a call, tweet, or exhilarating moment of the game. 

Other structural achievements include an 80-foot tall, 200-foot-wide set of lanai doors that open to a panoramic view of the Las Vegas skyline. The stadium also features The Torch, the world’s largest 3D-printed structure. The Torch is lit before each home game in honor of the Raiders late owner and coach Al Davis.

Technology features include:  

• Extended distributed antenna system to ensure cellphones work flawlessly 

• 2,400 TV screens and customizable dynamic message screens  

• Faster WiFi 6 technology to keep every fan connected 

• Three main scoreboards and multiple ribbon boards mounted on the seating deck facades encircle the seating bowl 

The project team first occupied an office with the contractor and owners a few blocks away from the job site. Being in the same office space allowed for pop-up meetings, free-flowing dialogue and the faster decision-making necessary to adhere to the highly compressed timeline. Once construction began, the team relocated to a large campus of trailers on-site.

Allegiant Stadium’s end-user benefits

The Raiders played their first home game in their new stadium on Monday Night Football Sept. 21, 2020.

Besides fans and team members, there is a third end-user to consider: the Las Vegas Strip and surrounding community. Las Vegas always will be a tourist and entertainment destination, but it also is home to a community of  2.25 million people. Now, for the first time in its history, that community has its own NFL team to rally around.

Allegiant Stadium also provides an exciting new venue for Las Vegas convention and trade show industry. The stadium offers assembly of the single largest seated group under one roof in Las Vegas. Additionally, Allegiant Stadium will host all University of Nevada, Las Vegas home games, the NFL’s 2022 Pro Bowl, the PAC 12 Conference’s 2022 college football championship game and  the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup.

In the end, it was extensive collaboration that allowed the build team to seamlessly bend iconic brands and meet a highly compressed schedule while delivering a new, iconic venue for Las Vegas.