How Big Is The Arizona Cardinals Stadium – State Farm Stadium FAQ

As an NFL franchise dating back to the league’s early 20th century origins, the Arizona Cardinals have enjoyed homes everywhere from normal high school fields to sprawling modern stadiums. But it was the club’s state-of-the-art new nest built in 2006 that finally matched their world-class ambitions. Since opening, State Farm Stadium has provided a picturesque setting befitting of NFL football in the Valley of the Sun. With its retractable field and retractable roof combating the desert elements, the Cardinals’ glistening new palace ushered the organization into a new era. Yet even as State Farm Stadium propels Arizona into the future, I can’t help but wonder – just how immense is this structure. Sure the Cardinals draw loud capacity crowds of 70,000-plus. But what specifically makes this venue so mammoth compared to its old-school counterparts? Whether you’re a diehard Cardinals fan or simply interested in sports architecture like me, let’s break down the sheer scale of Arizona’s showpiece home. From dimensions to seating capacity to special engineering feats, I’ll highlight everything you need to know about the size and scope of this Cardinal stronghold.

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How Big Is The Arizona Cardinals Stadium?

1.7 million square feet Spanning over 1.7 million square feet with seating for up to 73,000 roaring fans, State Farm Stadium stands as a monument to scale and modern engineering.

At 15 stories tall and nearly a quarter-mile long, Arizona’s glistening new gridiron palace towers over its surroundings while sitting 63 feet below ground. And when the 3.88 million-pound grass field tray rolls out, the playing surface itself accounts for 234,000 square feet. Surrounding that sunken bowl, States Farm Stadium boasts flexible configurations – allowing capacity to balloon for major events. While the Cardinals draw sellout crowds of 63,400 regularly, extra bleachers expand to welcome over 70,000 voices for marquee matches like the Super Bowl and college football championship. And that’s before factoring in the small city-worth of amenities underneath. With 71 suite lofts, 7 locker rooms, 2 massive video boards and museum honoring Cardinals history, this self-contained campus has ample room for players, coaches and supporters alike to thrive in first-class fashion.

How Many People Can Fit In The Arizona Cardinal Stadium?

63,400 people

As a premier sporting venue equipped to host events of all shapes and sizes, State Farm Stadium’s seating capacity is flexible in nature.

For standard Arizona Cardinals home games, the stadium accommodates crowds of 63,400 screaming fans. This allows the venue to maintain an intimate atmosphere with every seat close to the action.

Yet for marquee occasions like the Super Bowl, temporary bleachers and configurations push capacity even higher – up to 73,000 seats. And the stadium has expanded above 78,000 previously through standing-room areas on the plaza.

The adaptability speaks to thoughtful engineering and planning. Retractable seating sections in the upper corners open up more real estate when needed. This guarantees State Farm can find the perfect balance between supply and demand when the Cardinals share the spotlight with global talent.

So while 63,400 occupy the venue week-to-week, creating memories with Larry Fitzgerald or DeAndre Hopkins up close, the potential to swell above 70,000 proves what a world-class stage the Cardinals now possess in Arizona. A new home ready and able to handle both intimate Sundays and massive world championships alike.

Is The Field At The Arizona Cardinal Stadium Grass Or Artificial Turf?

Designed with protecting players and promoting quality soccer in mind, State Farm Stadium uniquely utilizes a fully retractable natural grass playing surface.

The innovative field tray, weighing an immense 14 million pounds, has the ability to slide in and out of the stadium in about 70 minutes. It allows the durable Tifway 419 Bermuda grass to be exposed to Arizona’s fertile sunlight when not in use – keeping it growing and vibrant even under harsh desert conditions. This groundbreaking system marked just the second time a U.S. stadium implemented a retractable grass surface when opened in 2006. And State Farm Stadium remains one of only a handful worldwide with such capabilities. By avoiding permanently installing fake turf while still combating extreme weather, the Cardinals deliver their athletes the best of both worlds. It exemplifies how this franchise approached its new nest with player longevity at the forefront – now a model for 21st-century venues that need to balance speed and safety.

Is State Farm Stadium A Dome?

Given Arizona’s intensely hot summers, adapting to the environment proved vital in State Farm Stadium’s engineering. Thus designers opted for a first-of-its-kind retractable roof allowing indoor or open-air events. This signature feature includes two slide-out panels covering 29 acres that can open and close simultaneously to reveal vivid desert skies in just 12 minutes. Structurally, two 375-ft self-supported cantilevered trusses support the panels, creating an unimpeded view of downtown Phoenix in the distance. Fans immediately benefit from this innovative flexibility. During August preseason games or scorching September afternoons, the stadium can envelop crowds in air-conditioned comfort when the heat turns hazardous. Then as cooler late-season matchups arrive, the panels retract to welcome those iconic crisp Sunday settings. The roof has transformed how Arizona hosts everything from Final Fours to Super Bowls to college football championships. Multi-use venues were once fixed as either open or closed; now State Farm Stadium delivers the best of all worlds in a stress-free fashion. A design that brought stadium engineering into the 21st century.

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In conclusion, from seating over 70,000 cheerers to its innovative sliding grass field to 290-foot height, Arizona’s State Farm Stadium stands immense in scale befitting an NFL pillar. Built on 63 acres, the complex structure expertly balances hosting intimate Sundays and global championships alike. With condensed downtown Phoenix visible through its retracted roof, the stadium embodies the state-of-the-art venue the Cardinals sought – now a Southwest sports landmark for decades to come.