Designers of the nation's first retractable-roof stadium engineered to withstand 146-mph winds achieved the feat with an innovative strategy: The roof was kept partially open. This move would minimize internal pressures in the event of a storm-induced breach of the structure. It also eliminated the need for an estimated 1,000 tons of steel, cutting project costs by $4 million.
The first Major League Baseball park to be designed in a modern architectural style was also one of the first to achieve LEED Gold certification. One of this year's judges called it "a modern and exciting architectural expression."