The state Tourism and Sports Authority board decided Monday to go ahead with the construction of the new Cardinals Stadium despite the FAA’s lack of approval of the site.
The meeting, held at the Tempe City Council Chambers, addressed the decision to start construction of the new stadium and to order steel roof beams from a European manufacturer.
Officials said postponing the steel order would delay the finish of the stadium for several months. The TSA’s estimated date for completion of the stadium is September 2004.
Michael Luciano, president of the western United States region of the Hunt Construction Group, the design contractors of the stadium project, said $6 million of the total $60 million needed in steel would come from a factory in Europe.
“Ten percent of the steel will come from Europe, 90 percent will come from a steel manufacturer in Maricopa County,” he said.
Brad Holm, an attorney from the city of Phoenix, spoke at the meeting and asked the board to postpone both construction and the steel order to wait for the Federal Aviation Administration’s final safety report, which is expected to be released Oct. 7.
If TSA decided to disregard Holm’s request, he vowed that the city would file suit against TSA.
TSA chairman Jim Grogan said construction would keep on schedule and on budget. The $335 million stadium is planned to be completed in time for the start of the 2004 NFL season.
“We are taking measured minimal steps to keep the project moving,” Grogan said.
Although construction will proceed, no vertical erection, or building up, will take place on the stadium at this time.
Another issue discussed at the meeting was whether or not to continue construction because of $250,000 TSA is waiting for from the City of Tempe. The money was said to be given to the stadium project for specific areas, but the board agreed to continue building until Tempe provided the money.
Reach Jennifer Voges at jennyvoges@hotmail.com.
