The translucent roof of the Raiders' new Allegiant Stadium "isn't expected to be installed until mid-May, months later than originally planned," according to a front-page piece by Richard Velotta of the LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL. Raiders officials said that despite the roof delay, the stadium is "still on track to open July 31 with the first event there on Aug. 16." However, an independent monitor "expressed concern about the stadium being completed by that date." The independent monitor, working for the Las Vegas Stadium Authority, "raised concerns about the lifting of the cable net system supporting the lightweight EFTE roof in a report completed in early December." Officials from the Las Vegas-based Grand Canyon Development Partners said that the roof's installation is "not on the critical path to finishing the stadium." But the GCDP's report also "expressed concern that, because the venue won't be completely enclosed, rainy weather could damage some of the finish work that has been completed ahead of schedule." Contractors on Allegiant Stadium "prepared last summer to lift the cable net, which is designed to support the translucent roof panels, to the top of the stadium." Five separate engineering firms have "worked to modify the system to attach the cable net to the compression ring at the top of the stadium" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 1/14).
