The Coliseum’s main intent was to create a facility that could accommodate up to 20,000 spectators, where every seat (including those for people with disabilities), would have an uninterrupted visual access to any spectacle being presented, and with efficient and safe ingress and egress. Other special requirements were to provide maximum flexibility for rapid adaptation (5-6 hrs.) to a variety of configurations, including an ice rink, and to comply with athletic standards such as the NHL and NBA. The seats are covered dramatically with a cylindrical roof, supported by eight gigantic trusses. The building features an exterior roof support structure in the form of a tree, visible on the extreme northern side, which lightens the massive scale of the building.  The curved roof is particularly dramatic when illuminated at night.