Raising the Bar at O'Shea
Springfield just became home to a record-breaking addition: the largest air-supported sports dome on the planet.
Spanning 190,000 square feet, the new Springfield Clinic Sports Dome at Scheels Sports Park supports year-round play for soccer, baseball, softball, basketball, volleyball and even pickleball. The dome itself reaches more than 710 feet long, 275 feet wide and 98 feet high at its peak.
But what you won’t see from the outside is the powerful foundation beneath it, built by O’Shea.
“This is the biggest concrete slab pour O’Shea has ever done, and it’s exciting to be part of something that is so impactful for the community,” says Dillon Fickas, Steel Division Project Manager at O’Shea.
Even more exciting? This project marked a first for the O’Shea team: using fiberglass rebar as part of the concrete slab.
It all started when Dillon spotted a new rebar sample at a local materials distributor, then dove into research that led to a game-changing decision.
“The first time we’ve used fiberglass reinforcement was for the dome, and it went great,” Dillon says.
What exactly is rebar and why does it matter?
Concrete might be the backbone of modern construction, but here’s a secret: it’s not as tough as it looks. Concrete is strong when compressed (pushed down on), but weak under tension (pulled or stretched).
That’s where rebar comes in.
Short for “reinforcing bar,” rebar is typically made of steel and laid in a grid pattern before concrete is poured. Once everything sets, the two materials bond together.
Rebar resists shifting and absorbs tension, helping structures flex and preventing cracks or collapse under heavy loads. Rebar is used in everything from sidewalks to stadiums — supporting concrete to stand up to heavy use, environmental stress and structural load over decades!
Building the dome’s foundation
For the massive dome foundation, O’Shea used traditional steel rebar for the surrounding foundation wall but opted for a new approach for the slab itself: LiteBar fiberglass rebar.
Here’s why we made the switch…
STRENGTH
LiteBar is made from high-quality glass fiber and polyester resin. It’s not only stronger than traditional steel rebar in tension, but it’s also corrosion-resistant, non-magnetic and non-conductive.
“You can even go down a size because it’s so strong,” Dillon shares. “It installs just like steel but outperforms it.”
WEIGHT
Fiberglass rebar weighs about six times less than steel. O’Shea tied up bundles that contain 52 sticks and these weighed just 80 pounds total.
“Our team loved it because it weighs so much less,” Dillon says. “We usually use a piece of equipment to lift the bundles, so the lesser weight cut out equipment usage significantly. The bundles only needed two team members to pick them up and walk them out to the slab where they needed to go.”
COST
LiteBar also brought cost savings, which added up on a job this big. And with the addition of a new tie gun for securing the rebar bundles, the crew boosted efficiency even further.
“This definitely won’t be a one-time thing,” Dillon says. “We already have other jobs in the pre-construction phase where we plan to use this fiberglass rebar again.”
Hidden Support
You may never see it, but rebar is what keeps your sidewalks from cracking, your highways from buckling and your buildings standing strong.
So, when you drive by the Springfield Clinic Sports Dome at Scheels Sports Park or attend a future sporting event, remember the hidden strength beneath your feet.
“We’re so glad for O’Shea to be involved with this,” Dillon says. “We can’t wait for the park to open because we know these sports tournaments will be packed. This will become an economic engine for the Springfield area and positively affect the community for years to come. The dome is a true landmark.”
Have questions about rebar or other steel work? Give us a call at 217.522.2826.