The Monument at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center boasts 250,000 square feet of arena space to host the Rapid City Rush, Rapid City Marshals, Badlands Sabres, Rodeo Rapid City, and other sports and entertainment events. The $130-million arena seats 12,500 spectators with a variety of experiential options within view of the action and open, transparent concourses.

The design team aimed to provide the community and surrounding region with a facility that was functional, visually appealing, and accessible. Additionally, as a publicly funded project, the contractor had a guaranteed maximum price for The Monument and needed to ensure first-time quality. Designers were able to deliver on all fronts with CENTRIA unitized wall systems.

Integrating Aesthetics and Performance

The design team worked with CENTRIA from the start, allowing for optimized use of materials, reduced waste, and a plan to stay ahead of an aggressive construction schedule.

CENTRIA Formawall Dimension Series enabled the project team to ensure first-time quality before delivery with a unitized system. The insulated metal panels are made in a factory and inspected throughout development, ensuring that all panels that leave the factory meet strict quality standards. Additionally, the factory-trained installers from MG McGrath ensured quality is maintained throughout the installation.

MG McGrath crews installed 25,000 square feet of Formawall insulated metal panels in a tri-color pattern of Sienna, Clay, and Sedona with an Allura Earth Terra Cotta Series finish to complement the surroundings. This was a critical feature since the community sought an arena that matched the beautiful natural environment where it was located.

Formawall Dimension Series combines design freedom with unmatched performance, delivering a building envelope system that consolidates five wall components into one product and creates a distinct profile for any design. The system features concealed clips, fasteners, and sealants; along with, pressure-equalized, insulated joints prevent water and air infiltration. Formawall panels are factory foamed in-place with a red-list-chemical free foam core. This provides cutting edge sustainability for the building envelope and maximizes thermal values, improving the sustainability of the built environment.

Allura 70% PVDF coatings with a fine aggregate suspended in the finish provide a low-gloss finish with matte colors that mimic terra cotta, stone and masonry facades. The natural color selection helps blend metal projects seamlessly with surrounding architecture and nature. The coating system is factory coil coated, making it highly durable and offering color consistency and adhesion.

To add a touch of modernity to the arena facade, the project team designed a crown of Concept Series single skin rainscreen panels around the perimeter. Crews installed 8,000 square feet of CS-260 deep profiled panels in Silversmith, which created the contemporary finishing touch sought by the design team.

Concept Series single skin wall panels feature concealed fasteners and a common-lock joint that allow the panels to integrate with each other with an unbroken appearance. Stand-off clips provide a ventilation cavity and drain plane behind the panel. The panel clips are designed to allow for thermal and seismic movements.

Game Time

After 22 months of construction, Monument Arena opened in September 2021 in time for basketball and hockey season openers.