Latest news with #TomFisher
Axios
12-05-2025
- Climate
- Axios
U.S. Bank Stadium is a trendsetter in the NFL
U.S. Bank Stadium is more than just a jaw-dropping place to watch a game — it's one of the most influential buildings in professional sports. Why it matters: If you've been inside, you know the feeling: bright, open and oddly warm, even during a Minnesota winter. The big picture: NFL franchises in these cities are using — or plan to use — the same translucent roofing material as U.S. Bank Stadium, called ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE). It costs much less than a retractable roof, provides an outdoor feel and, crucially, an enclosed stadium with 60,000-plus seats positions cities to host massive events like the Super Bowl, NCAA Final Four and Wrestlemania. What they're saying: With six NFL franchises following suit, Axios asked professor Tom Fisher of the University of Minnesota's College of Design if he feels U.S. Bank Stadium will be seen as a trendsetter the way Baltimore's Camden Yards and Cleveland's Progressive Field are in baseball. 'I think so," he said. "The feeling of being in daylight without the problems of being rained on, or snowed on, or being cold — I think it solves a lot of problems." Flashback: When the Vikings were weighing stadium designs, architecture firm HKS convinced them to skip a retractable roof — the popular choice at the time in places like Indianapolis and Arizona. Architect John Hutchings, then at HKS and now working for Overland Partners, said retractable roofs are usually only opened a few times a year, which is why his team pushed for ETFE. At the time, the translucent plastic material was growing in popularity overseas because it is strong, yet lightweight enough to span massive roof structures. It was most famously used in Beijing's Water Cube during the 2008 Olympics. Yes, but: With U.S. Bank Stadium being the first stadium to use it in the U.S., there were concerns about how the material would handle Minnesota's snow and whether people inside would be able to see the sky clearly after the ETFE was "fritted" to reduce the amount of solar energy coming into the stadium "We were pleasantly surprised when we started getting the ETFE installed and could see the white clouds," Hutchings said. Nick's thought bubble: I went to a Raiders-Vikings game at Allegiant Stadium a couple years ago and it felt very similar to U.S. Bank Stadium. Golden Valley-based Mortenson built both.
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Benton holds Drug Takeback event
BENTON, Ark. – Benton police were among the hundreds of law enforcement agencies across the country taking part in the 2025 Spring Drug Takeback. The purpose of the program is to help reduce the risk of prescription drug misuse, accidental poisoning and protect environmental health. It's also a proactive step in combating the opioid epidemic. Arkansas group introduces app to prevent opioid abuse, overdose 'It's really a prevention message for us, to keep that citizen or grandmother from not knowing that they might be an unwitting source of supply for someone with substance use or trying to experiment with drugs and they go to these cabinets a lot.' State Drug Director Tom Fisher said. 'And this is a chance for us to take that opportunity away from them, but we also worry about the poisoning-controlled substances and all too many times we've seen that in past years.' For those who didn't make it to the drug takeback event, there are drop-off boxes throughout the state. Search for the closest location to you at . Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
