Stadium’s Special Features Take Center Stage as Las Vegas Prepares for First-Ever Super Bowl

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Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis called his new home the Death Star in 2020 — and the name stuck.

Allegiant Stadium, with its black facade, in fact resembles the ominous space station from the “Star Wars” movie franchise that was capable of destroying planets.

The futuristic stadium takes center stage on Feb. 11 when the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers meet in the first-ever Super Bowl in Las Vegas.

And like the unique city that surrounds it, the stadium has some features that sets it apart from others around the NFL. Among the most notable is the playing surface.

Because the Raiders insist on playing on grass, even in a dome, the field spends most of the time outside in sunlight and is rolled in on a tray for games. Last year’s Super Bowl host, the Arizona Cardinals’ stadium, uses a similar transfer system.

The NFL takes over management of the field when it comes to the Super Bowl, and the playing surface is monitored closely. No one wants a repeat of what happened last year in Glendale. Players slipped on that grass in the Super Bowl, which the Chiefs won 38-35 over the Philadelphia Eagles.

“This surface has been nurtured from the sod farm all the way to the Super Bowl,” said Jeff Miller, NFL executive vice president for communications. “Its maintenance is measured by a series of tools and metrics. … Our field manager expert has been on top of this for many weeks and is on site frequently and will be throughout the next couple of weeks in anticipation of the game.”

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