- Walkup Skydome
Infobox_Stadium
stadium_name = J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome
nickname = "Skydome"
location = McConnell Dr
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
broke_ground = 1975
opened =September 17 ,1977
closed =
demolished =
owner =Northern Arizona University
operator =Northern Arizona University
surface =Artificial turf
construction_cost = $8,000,000
architect =
former_names =
tenants = NAU Lumberjacks (NCAA)
seating_capacity = 15,000 permanent seats
1,230 additional seats available in ten sections of portable bleachers
16,230 total seatsThe J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome is a 16,230-seat multi-purpose
stadium on the campus ofNorthern Arizona University in Flagstaff. Opened in September 1977, it is the home of the NAU Lumberjacks football andbasketball teams of theBig Sky Conference . The Walkup Skydome has hosted fiveBig Sky Conference men's basketball tournaments: 1987, 1997, 1998, 2005, and 2006.It is the second largest clear-span timber dome in the world [cite web
title=Skydome Information
publisher=Northern Arizona University
accessdate=2006-04-26
url=http://www.nau.edu/skydome/Dome_Info.html] . It held the world record as the largest timber dome in the world from opening in 1977 until 1998 when theSydney Showground Exhibition Building was completed for the 2000 Olympics. The Skydome is named after J. Lawrence Walkup, the president of the university from (1958–79), a period of tremendous growth for the school. The playing field/court for the stadium sits at an elevation of 6880 feet (2097 m) above sea level, [http://terraserver.microsoft.com/image.aspx?T=2&S=12&Z=12&X=550&Y=4867&W=3&qs=%7cFlagstaff%7cAZ%7c] second only to Wyoming's War Memorial Stadium, by 335 feet (102 m). Twenty feet above the field there is a red line with a 7000 on it at the exact point where the building hits 7000 feet elevation.Besides sporting events, the arena is also used for commencement ceremonies,
concerts , and other events such as conventions andtrade shows . The arena floor features 97,000 square feet (over 9000 m²) of space.The Walkup Skydome is also used by the NFL's
Arizona Cardinals during their summer training camp, held at NAU. The Cardinals are able to move inside to conduct practice when the weather is unsuitable outdoors.References
External links
* [http://nau.newtier.com/index.php?module=subjects&func=viewpage&pageid=33 NAU.newtier.com] - official athletics site - NAU facilities
* [http://www.sportsandentertainmentnews.com/mapsNAUSkydome.html Stadium seating campus maps and more at S&E News on Walkup Skydome]
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