Allegiant Stadium on track to meet July 2020 deadline

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — If you've ever wondered what $2 billion dollars can buy, take a drive along I-15 near the Las Vegas Strip and you'll see.

Allegiant Stadium is an engineering feat.

"It's sleek looking. It's fast looking. It's kind of sexy and it's certainly Raiders-looking," said Don Webb, Chief Operating Officer of Allegiant Stadium.

Webb has the large task of making sure vision meets reality while staying on budget.

Part of that large budget is paying for the construction a massive space on the stadium's south-end. The area where all-grass field will be grown before it's rolled into the stadium is not cheap.

"I estimated at the time when we tried to pin down the coast of the stadium that we could save at least $120 million by not having this operable field system," said Webb. "The owner [Mark Davis] was not interested in saving $120 million at the expense of not having the field that he wanted his players on."

It's a hefty price tag, but the Raiders are hoping to get their money's worth.

"When the field is in we have an enormous dance floor out here," said Webb." "[The area] could literally be used for entertainment [or] first-class tailgating."

Arguably one of the most striking features of the stadium is the so-called "billion dollar view." Crews have installed massive sliding doors which will reveal a new vantage point of the iconic Las Vegas Strip.

"That was very deliberate," said Webb. "That's one of the probably half-a-dozen really, really iconic features of this stadium."

But the view isn't the most unique feature of the stadium.

Driving along I-15, you've probably notice the huge cables hanging from the ceiling. Webb says those play an important role in the very careful process of installing the roof.

"This roof system hasn't been done in the United States yet," said Webb.

While the roof is on schedule, there have been concerns about whether or not the stadium is.

For example, back in March there was a 60-day delay in the delivery of steel. Reports even surfaced about the Raiders possibly having to spend another year in Oakland.

Webb says not to worry: the contractors prepare for scenarios like this.

"If I had a dollar for every every stupid rumor, I'd be able to fund a big expansion here," said Webb. "They didn't simply come and say "Well, we're gonna be 60 days late in delivering the stadium." That's unthinkable. They've never missed a deadline."

With the ultimate deadline fast-approaching, work is scheduled to ramp up.

"People working on this project know they are part of a legacy project," said Webb. "That little child that comes with his parents and watches a football game, when they're grown 30 or 40 years from now, they may not remember who won the game or the final score, but they will remember the experience of being in a place that's special."

If Webb's calculations are correct, fans can expect to "experience" Allegiant Stadium by July 31, 2020.