(CelebrityAccess MediaWire) —
With two-thirds of its construction timetable completed, the 63,000-seat Cardinals Stadium under construction in Glendale, AR is on track for its August 2006 completion. According to Charlie Prewitt, project manager for Hunt Construction, the project’s progress has been steady. “So far, we’ve hit every major milestone that we originally set out,” he said. “Two years of construction under our belt, and we’ve had no real surprises.”
He said favorable weather conditions over the last two years helped keep the schedule on track. Additionally, the project had secured steel and concrete in advance, avoiding cost increases and delivery problems in the current tight market for both. About 80% of the project’s work has been completed so far. The status of major components include:
- The installation of the lower seating bowl is 75% complete;
- The roof is about 45% complete with work moving from the southeast quadrant in a counter-clockwise fashion;
- The first portion of the field tray is complete. Sand and grass will be added and the performance of this section will be tested in September;
- Restroom fixtures are on site and beginning to be installed on the main concourse; and
- Workers are beginning to tap and drill the pre-cast seating risers in preparation for seat installation which will begin in September.
The exterior of the stadium should be complete by Christmas, and grass will be installed in the field tray by mid-April. The construction schedule calls for the building to be complete August 1, 2006
“The progress of construction, and the multi-purpose design of the stadium, has generated a significant amount of interest from a variety of show producers," said Peter C. Sullivan, general manager, Cardinals Stadium. "Like the stadium, we are on schedule from a booking stand point and plan to announce multiple non-football events in the very near future”.
The Arizona Cardinals will play their first season in the new stadium beginning in the fall of 2006. The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl will play in January of 2007 followed a week later by the BCS Intercollegiate Championship. Super Bowl XLII is scheduled to be played in the stadium in 2008. –Jane Cohen and Bob Grossweiner
