$900,000 for new dome; cost of other storm damage still unknown

Storm (09-02-08)
An enthusiastic fan holds up a sign commemorating the destruction of the "bubble," ASU's football practice structure, during last Thursday's storm, at the football game against NAU at Sun Devil Stadium on Saturday. (Morgan Bellinger/The State Press)
Published On:
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
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ASU is still totaling up the cost of damage from Thursday night’s severe thunderstorm.

But replacing the roof of the football practice facility, which collapsed during the storm, will cost the University about $900,000, Associate Athletic Director Mark Brand said.

Other storm damage included flooding in the basement of Downtown’s University Center and a falling panel at Tempe’s Packard Drive South Parking Structure, which hit several cars in Lot 59.

“Most of what we see is just minor wind damage,” ASU spokeswoman Sharon Keeler said. “There was little real damage to structures on either [Downtown or Tempe] campus.”

Officials from the Polytechnic campus in east Mesa and the West campus in Phoenix said no damage had been reported there.

The storm also left as many as 80,000 people without power, APS officials said. More severe weather hampered the power company’s attempts at restoring power, but APS reported all of its customers had power by 3 p.m. Monday.

“This is the kind of storm we have not seen in 10 years,” said APS spokesman Damon Gross. “It was very, very intense.”

SRP reported similar numbers, with 40,000 customers without power at the peak of the storm, a spokesman said.