🏛 Historic Stadium
The RCA Dome — originally called the Hoosier Dome — was a domed multipurpose stadium at 100 South Capitol Avenue in Indianapolis, Indiana. It opened on August 5, 1984, at a construction cost of $77.5 million and served as the home of the Indianapolis Colts for 24 NFL seasons, while also hosting a wide range of marquee sporting and entertainment events over its two-decade life.
Its signature feature was a teflon-coated fiberglass roof held aloft entirely by air pressure, rising 193 feet and weighing 257 tons — a striking piece of 1980s structural engineering designed by Geiger Engineers. In 1994, consumer electronics giant RCA paid $10 million for naming rights, transforming the Hoosier Dome into the RCA Dome. The Colts played their final game there in January 2008, and the dome was imploded by Controlled Demolition, Inc. on December 20, 2008, to make way for an expansion of the adjacent Indiana Convention Center.
Stats at a Glance
- Team(s): Indianapolis Colts (NFL, 1984–2007)
- Location: 100 South Capitol Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Opened: August 5, 1984
- Closed: February 26, 2008
- Demolished: December 20, 2008
- Capacity: 56,127 (football; smallest in the NFL at closing)
- Construction Cost: $77.5 million
- Notable Events: 4× NCAA Men’s Final Four; WrestleMania VIII (1992); 1985 NBA All-Star Game
Engineering Marvel of the 1980s
The RCA Dome’s air-supported roof was one of its defining characteristics. Rather than steel trusses or concrete, the teflon-coated fiberglass membrane was kept aloft by slightly pressurized air inside the building. The ceiling peaked at 193 feet and the entire roof weighed 257 tons, with the dome’s architects — HNTB and Browning Day Pollack Mullins Inc. — integrating the structure directly into the adjacent Indiana Convention Center, making it one of the few NFL facilities designed as part of a convention complex.
The playing surface changed over the dome’s lifetime: AstroTurf served from 1984 to 2004, then FieldTurf replaced it for the final three seasons. The dome’s football capacity of 56,127 made it the smallest venue in the NFL at the time of its closing, a distinction that occasionally fueled debates about the team’s market size even as the Colts remained consistently competitive.
Two Decades of Marquee Moments
Beyond Colts football, the RCA Dome built a reputation as one of the Midwest’s premier event venues. It hosted the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four four times — in 1991, 1997, 2000, and 2006 — as well as the 2005 Women’s Final Four. WrestleMania VIII drew a crowd of 62,167 in 1992, the largest single-event attendance in the dome’s history. The 1985 NBA All-Star Game and the gymnastics and handball competitions of the 1987 Pan American Games also took place under its roof.
The dome’s final football season ended with the Colts claiming their first championship as an Indianapolis franchise, defeating the Chicago Bears 29–17 in Super Bowl XLI in Miami. The pivotal 2006 AFC Championship Game — a memorable Colts comeback over the New England Patriots — was played at the RCA Dome itself. The stadium was formally closed on February 26, 2008, and demolished that December to clear the site for convention center expansion.
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RCA Dome FAQs
Why was the RCA Dome demolished?
The RCA Dome was demolished in December 2008 to allow expansion of the Indiana Convention Center, which was directly attached to the stadium. The Indianapolis Colts had already relocated to the new Lucas Oil Stadium, which opened in August 2008.
What was the RCA Dome originally called?
It was originally called the Hoosier Dome when it opened in 1984. The name changed to RCA Dome in 1994 after electronics company RCA purchased the naming rights for $10 million.
Did the RCA Dome ever host a Super Bowl?
No, the RCA Dome never hosted a Super Bowl, though it was home to the Indianapolis Colts when they won Super Bowl XLI following the 2006–07 season. That game was played in Miami. Indianapolis later hosted Super Bowl XLVI in 2012 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
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Photo: Tysto / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.