Leaders of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium construction team yesterday "delivered an update on the project" to the Georgia World Congress Center Authority BOD, "stressing the complexity of the steel structure for the roof" of the Falcons’ new home, according to Tim Tucker of the ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION. Wayne Wadsworth, who leads the general contractor joint venture on the stadium project, said, “It has been quite the challenge, and it has certainly taken the (steel) fabricators longer than they would have liked." Falcons Owner Arthur Blank last month "cited the complexity of the roof structure" when he disclosed that the "target date for opening the stadium has been pushed back three months" to June 1, 2017. In yesterday's presentation to the GWCCA, Wadsworth said that "all 18,000 'shop drawings' for the fixed portion of the stadium roof will have been processed and approved by the end of this month, calling that 'a very major milestone.'” Tucker notes two of the "signature features of the new stadium are the retractable roof, which is supposed to open and close in seven minutes, and the 58-foot-high oval video board, which will be built into the roof opening and will surround the field." GWCCA board member David Allman asked Wadsworth and Falcons’ stadium project exec Bill Darden "the target date 'for pushing that button' to see the retractable roof in action for the first time." Wadsworth said, “It’ll probably be late first quarter of 2017." Meanwhile, Wadsworth and Darden said that a contract to demolish the Georgia Dome "likely will be awarded by August" (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 2/24).
