It was designed by the Oklahoma City architectural firm of Bozalis, Dickinson and Roloff as a concrete structure with a distinctive gold geodesic dome roof.

The co-founder of Temcor, the project's contractor, was Don Richter, a student of Buckminster Fuller, developer of the geodesic dome concept.

It consists of a 500-panel aluminum shell on an inner steel frame, which is in turn supported by reinforced concrete arches.

[2] The Washoe County Fair and Recreation Board, which was responsible for the project, was particularly taken with Casa Mañana in Fort Worth, Texas, resulting in the selection of the domed concept.

[1] Media related to Pioneer Center (Reno, Nevada) at Wikimedia Commons