The Phoenix City Council filed a lawsuit Monday against the state Tourism and Sports Authority after it refused to stop construction on the proposed Arizona Cardinals stadium.
The council plans to seek a preliminary injunction against the authority, said Phoenix City attorney Peter Van Haren.
“The city council is not asking for money damages,” he said. “We’re just asking the court to stop construction.”
Council members declined to comment because of the pending lawsuit.
Construction began on the stadium the first week of July, but TSA voluntarily stopped construction after the Federal Aviation Administration declared the site to be a potential safety hazard.
Underground construction will continue on the stadium but above ground construction will not begin until the authority receives approval from the FAA.
The FAA has postponed its report until Oct. 7 to allow for public comment.
“This is just another attempt on the city of Phoenix to delay the whole project,” said Tempe community relations director Joseph Ortiz.
The council said a lawsuit was the next step to prevent construction.
“The Phoenix City Council felt they had no choice but to file a lawsuit,” Van Haren said.
Attorneys for Phoenix said the city council had been concerned about the safety of the stadium since July.
TSA chairman Jim Grogan said the authority would welcome its day in court.
“We believe strongly that we will win and that Phoenix will lose,” Grogan said.
Last week, Tempe ordered the $6 million steel trusses needed for construction of the stadium roof despite Phoenix City Council’s request that the steel not be ordered.
“Money shouldn’t be spent because it would be wasted if the site was deemed hazardous,” Van Haren said.
The $335 million Cardinals stadium is expected to be completed September 2004, in time for the start of the NFL season.
Reach Christina Higdon at grimm119@aol.com.
