Resilience in Action: Building Stadiums for the Future

The roar of the crowd, the thrill of the game – these define our love for sports. But as extreme weather intensifies, building resilient stadiums is no longer an option, it's a necessity. We are engineering the future of sports venues, collaborating with clients to create structures that deliver unforgettable fan experiences while withstanding the unexpected.

United States | Wednesday, January 22, 2025
Reading Time : 2:30 minutes

The Super Bowl returning to New Orleans in February highlighted the importance of designing high-performance stadiums and arenas, including solutions for extreme weather. When legions of fans arrive at a marquee sporting event like the Super Bowl, what they experience in the stadium influences their enjoyment of the event almost as much as the action unfolding on the field.

The last thing on fans’ minds are years of planning, preparation, maintenance, upgrades and traffic management necessary to create an amazing in-person experience. And if all goes well, that is exactly how it should be. Today, planning for stadiums and arenas includes enhancing resilience to withstand extreme weather events.

Our collaboration with clients and stakeholders to deliver outstanding engineering solutions for sports facilities nationwide includes mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering; lighting design; traffic and crowd management; and sustainable design to ensure that the facility is ready for tough weather conditions and able to deliver an unforgettable fan experience when the big day arrives.

The importance of sustainability preparation was highlighted last summer by the damage from Hurricane Milton inflicted on Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays. Ahmad Rahimian, PhD, PE, SE, F.ASCE, executive vice president and director of building structures at WSP in the U.S., spoke to FOX Weather in the wake of Hurricane Milton to discuss how building codes from the stadium opening in 1990 – then called Florida Suncoast Dome – differ from modern codes today.

“With Tropicana Field, the older building codes that were applied to that structure focused specifically on life safety, rather than the building’s operational effectiveness after such an extreme weather event,” Rahimian said. “But modern building codes have evolved to consider ‘performance-based’ design, which goes beyond life safety.

“Additionally, modern building codes establish risk categories for each type of building that’s being developed,” Rahimian continued. “New buildings are graded on factors such as function and usage, and risk categories range from one to four, with four being the highest. Stadiums are typically classified at risk category three, but also could rise to category four if it is designed to be operational and function as a shelter after the impacts of hurricanes, snow, earthquakes and other extreme weather events.”

“Our expertise in designing high-performance sports venues lays the foundation for successful high-profile events,” said Reed Alvarado, vice president of major event development and infrastructure advisory at WSP. “Innovative designs enhance our ability to assist clients in planning and executing seamless transportation, security, and fan experiences, ensuring events proceed smoothly and safely for all involved.”

On the Biggest Stage

Whether it’s a venue hosting the NFL Super Bowl, U.S. Open Tennis Championships, Olympic Games or FIFA World Cup, we have been a proud contributing partner in planning, design and construction of some of the world’s most recognized sports and entertainment facilities.

In the photo carousel above, click on the arrows to learn more about our pivotal roles on these stadiums and arenas across the U.S.