Stadium's roof finally is in place
Pat Flannery
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 23, 2005 12:00 AM
GLENDALE - Cardinals Stadium's 5,600-ton roof assembly has been set in place atop the bowl after delays spurred by troublesome jacks.
The maze of steel now rests high up on four tall columns inside the football stadium and is visible from afar, making it "quite dramatic," said Brad Parker, spokesman for the Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority.
Parker said workers discovered excessive wear in a specific component in some of the eight jacks used to hoist the roof from field level onto its roost above the venue. The problem came to light when the jacks were examined after two-thirds of the lift had been completed Saturday.
Replacement parts were flown to Phoenix on Saturday night and repairs were made Sunday, allowing the roof to be hoisted the final 53 feet on Monday. Workers then installed girders underneath to act as supports, and the roof was lowered several feet to its permanent resting place.
Next month, support trusses will be attached between the roof assembly and the edges of the stadium bowl, and metal decking and a durable fabric will be added to close it in.
With the roof assembly now gone from the stadium floor, construction of the concrete seating tiers in the lower bowl can begin in May. Seats will be installed throughout the stadium starting in July as other interior masonry and electrical work continues. The building will be weathertight in November, but its unique movable turf tray, which will allow the field to roll in and out of the stadium, will not be finished until April 2006. The stadium is on schedule to open in August of that year.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/articles/0223wvroof23.html
