Total Pro Sports
An NFL stadium will be converted into a swimming pool this offseason.
Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts, is known for hosting NFL games and other events, including the NFL Scouting Combine. But it has never been a venue for swimming.
Still, there is a first time for everything. And the NFL stadium is now set to host the Olympic Trials.
The trials, held every four years, are by far the most prestigious swimming event in America. The team representing the U.S. in Paris will be chosen in Indianapolis.
Three temporary pools are currently being built in the stadium, two of which span 50 meters and one 25.
A timelapse video from USA Swimming shows exactly how it’s happening.
Check it out below:
The Olympic Trials will begin on June 12 and end on June 23. The event is expected to generate over $100 million for Indianapolis. If 30,000 people head to the NFL Stadium for all nine nights, which is the expectation, it will create an instant spike in the economy.
The venue will be divided into two halves. The main 50-meter pool for the competition will be on the southern end, with 10 lanes, while the warmup 50-meter and 25-meter pools will be on the north side of the Lucas Oil Stadium. They will all be three meters deep.
This is what it’s expected to look like:
As noted above, construction has begun and should be done in 7-10 days, giving the NFL stadium enough time to undertake a test trial and ensure that the temperature is correct.
