The Atlanta Falcons have requested almost $200 million in change orders to Mercedes-Benz Stadium construction over the past several months, potentially pushing the cost of the retractable-roof facility to $1.5 billion.
The public won’t be spending a dime on the overages; the team is contractually obligated to cover all cost overruns.
The change orders appear to be related to changes in the steel used for the retractable roof, per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
“As the complex steel structure of the roof and facade continue to come together, the added costs come from steel fabrication and as a result increases in the steel erection process,” a Falcons spokesperson said in a statement.…
The Falcons previously said the earlier changes were related to “elements of the concrete superstructure, steel increases, mechanical equipment, electrical systems and finish refinements.”
The latest status report says the GWCCA “is awaiting final design peer reviews for (the stadium’s) exterior skin and mechanized roof” and that the construction schedule “continues to be paced by fabrication of the fixed-roof structural steel.”
Despite the changes, the construction date for the facility is still set at June 1, 2017. While that won’t affect the NFL season, it could affect where the new Atlanta MLS team plays at the beginning of the 2017 season.
RELATED STORIES: Future Super Bowls to Showcase NFL’s Finest Stadiums; Falcons Cooking up Concession Deals for Mercedes-Benz Stadium; Mercedes-Benz Stadium construction schedule slips; Preview: Mercedes-Benz Stadium