Evening star., 1945-07-22
BY DON. S. WARREN.


An indoor football field with {
concrete base, covered for game,
with inches of a turf mixture o
earth and moss, was revealed yes.
terday as one of the construction
details of the proposed memoria
stadium that would seat 2o0,O0t
Washington sports fans.
Another detail planned is a huge
circular, central stage for dramatic
events. This would be hydraulically
lowered and raised between acts fol
resetting. 1t would be shielded from
view between acts by a curtain oi
water, or fountain, Illuminated by
colored lights.
Chairman Bilbo, of the Congress
sional Stadium Committee and Wal
ter w. Cook, Dallas (Tex), archi-
tect exhibited sketches drawn by
Mr.. Cook including the all-year ath-
letic field. The turf mixture, about
1000 cubic yards, would be stored
underneath tiers of seats when Other
events demand bare floor.
Mr.. Cook, who drew the tentative
plans, is member of the engineer
ing firm of Pettigrew, Cook & AS
sociates.
Need $4,000 Federal Fund.
Senator Bilbo and Architect Cook
declared the project could be
financed by private funds and would
be a public and financial success
if Congress only will authorize and
advance $3.50, ,000-of Federal postwar
planning funds, SO that detailed
engineering and economic studies
may be made in order that CON
crete and well-documented" pro-
posal can be laid before the bankers
This advance, Senator Bilbo has
declared, would be repaid once the
bankers take over the financing of
the project-which is estimated to
cost from $4,000, 900 to $4,000, 600
AS previously outlined, the struc-
ture would include huge floor space
to be devoted to permanent world
affair" types OF commercial exhibits
jectS. Mr.. Cook estimated that from
this source alone no less than $780,
900 would be turned annually into
the commissions tills.
Amortization by Receipts.
The Bilbo-Cook statement said on
this point: "The gross income of a
combined stadium and sports arena
will be sufficient to amortize the
building by use of long and short
term, low-interest-rate nots, so that
in the end the building will be owned
by the commission at no cost to
the taxpayer.
This national memorial stadium
and sports arena, with permanent
exhibitions by all States and the
major foreign countries, as well as
building products and materials, will
be one of the main attractions of
the Capital. It's all-year use, made
possible by having a roof, will make
it possible to amortize the cost in a
comparatively short period.
All-weather and all-purpose in
plan and having facilities for most
any conceivable type of program
from the Olympics to a wrestling
match or from circus to a classical
music performance, the stadium
would be built on the large District
owned tract at the foot of East Cap
itol street, north of Gallinger Hos
pital and the District Armory.
Would Form Great Cross.
The structure would be in the
form of a great cross. In keeping
with it's all-wather design, 1t would
have permanent roof of aluminium
alloy sheathing, supported by Sc
ries of 500-foot steel trusses, giving
it a domed top. The ceiling would
be about 200 feet above the playing
field
For proof of the practicability
of a roof over a football or base
ball field, proponents of the project
point to the rooted stadium at At
lantic City. which has been success
fully used for such games.
While the building would be about
200 feet high, including clear story
over its dome, Mr.. Cook explained
the structure would be set below
the present level of the site, SO that
the dome of the Capitol still would
be the dominent element of the
national capital skyline.
To give natural ventilation and
daytime lighting, the four ends of
the arena, as well as the story
above the dome, would be gener-
ously fitted with non-glare type of
large glass windows that could be
opened or closed, like Venetian
blinds. It is the thought that these
windows would give enough lighting
in daytime but for night events or
dark days, the latest type of lights,
placed in concealed inches In the
ceiling, would be used.
Roof Increases Use.
aThe added cost of roofing the
stadium, . said the Bilbo-Cook state
ment, lis small in comparison with
the all-year, all-weather use that
it makes possible. Also, the life Of
the structure is heightened by the
roof protection. The enormous
Philadelphia Stadium, which al
ready is cracking and deteriorating,
is an example Of stadia without roof
protection. :
TO walk around the outside Of