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Public-Private
Financing
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The Steelers
paid $123 million and $158 million was paid by the state, through
parking and amusement/entertainment taxes, and the Regional Asset
District.
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Heinz, a
Pittsburgh company since 1869, paid $57 million for a 20-year naming
rights contract.
Award-Winning
Design
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The structural
engineer involved in construction of Heinz Field won the National
Engineering Excellence Award for the design of the stadium.
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The stadium was
built with 12,500 tons of exposed steel, a natural choice for the home
of the Steelers. That's enough steel to make about 17,000 mid-size
cars.
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The south end of
the stadium is open, revealing beautiful views of the city's three
rivers and downtown skyline. A scenic riverwalk connects the stadium
with the city's new baseball stadium, PNC Park.
The Coca-Cola
Great Hall
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The
40,000-square-foot Coca-Cola Great Hall, located on the ground and
main levels on the east side of Heinz Field, is a concession and
retail mecca with bright lights and lots of color. Concession names
are clever puns - want to buy a beer at First Round Draft?
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Twenty-foot-high
reproductions of the Steelers' four Super Bowl trophies, team jerseys
and other team memorabilia, trivia and games line the walls of the
Great Hall. A giant Steelers helmet, with a big inset video screen, is
suspended from the ceiling.
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The Steelers
Hall of Fame is displayed within 18 glass-enclosed old lockers saved
from the old Three Rivers Stadium. Visitors can stroll down the
Steelers' memory lane by gazing at photos of past Steelers greats.
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A portable stage
with seating for 220 people projects movies about the Steelers, the
fans and Pittsburgh. The stage is also used for local bands before and
after games.
Comparison to
Three Rivers Stadium
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The new
scoreboard is 96 feet wide and 27 feet tall - three times bigger than
the old scoreboard. Ticket holders have complained that the
scoreboard, even at its huge size, cannot be seen from many seats.
Those fans miss out on instant replays, team and player statistical
information and interactive games such as trivia and give-aways.
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Each seat in the
new stadium has a cup holder. However, fans have said this amenity is
less than ideal because they are not big enough to hold plastic
bottles.
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A patio area
underneath the scoreboard is a place for fans to gather and be close
to the action in the end zone, regardless of where their assigned
seats are.
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Because the
stadium is built primarily of steel, rather than concrete like at
Three Rivers, it sways as people move on it. This "deflection" is
intentional, as the structure must give a little so it doesn't break.
Carefully-Planned Food Choices
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Aramark, the
food service company at Heinz Field, surveyed football fans before
finalizing the stadium's menu. Generally, results of the survey
weren't surprising - fans are looking for a cold beer and a really
good hot dog. Nachos were the number three pick. People also wanted a
variety though, particularly for the club and suite seats, so other
choices will include stir-fry and waffles, but no sushi.
University of
Pittsburgh
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The University
of Pittsburgh Panthers football team also plays at Heinz Field. The
two teams have separate locker rooms, but share the training rooms,
showers and bathrooms.
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On Panther game
days, the interior of the bowl will look like the stadium belongs to
the Panthers rather than the Steelers. The signage and wall padding
will be all Pitt.
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