The New York Giants and Jets recently hired two prominent New York constructionmanagers to help the NFL teams develop their Meadowlands stadium, a projectthat is creeping closer to the $2 billion mark.
Tishman Construction and LehrerLLC formed a joint venture to work alongside Hammes, the Giants’hand-picked developer, facility designers 360 Architecture and EwingCole,and Skanska, the stadium’s builder, confirmed Alice McGillion,spokeswoman for the project.
Tishman’s resume includesbuilding the original World Trade Center and the Freedom Tower, the 1,776-footskyscraper being built at the site where the Twin Towers were destroyed in the2001 terrorist attacks.
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Florida International again has its eye
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Lehrer LLC Chairman Peter Lehrer helped build venues for the 1996Atlanta Olympics after his firm, Lehrer McGovern, merged with BovisLtd. Lehrer started his own consultancy that same year. His 40 years ofexperience include restoring the Statue of Liberty and Grand Central Station.
In an unrelated move, BillSenn, senior vice president of design and construction for the new stadium,is now focusing on developing the Jets’ practice facility at the Meadowlands,McGillion said.
Senn worked for JetsPresident Jay Cross to develop AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami when bothworked for the NBA Heat.
The 82,000-seat stadium,which sources have said will now cost $1.6 billion, is expected to open in2010.
MIAMI TWICE: Turner Construction and Ellerbe Becketthought they had won the competition not once but twice to design and build anexpansion to FIU Stadium in Miami, home to Florida InternationalUniversity football.
School officials, however, were negotiating contract details last weekin Miami with the team of Rossetti and Odebrecht, a Miamibuilder.
“Barring any holdups, wewould start work almost immediately,” said Andrew Leeson, Rossetti’sdirector of marketing.
That was news to DaleKoger, vice president and general manager for Turner’s sports group, thelead firm in its design-build partnership with Ellerbe.
FIU initially had selectedthe Turner-Ellerbe team a year ago for the job to increase the number of fixedseats from 7,500 to 25,000 with the ability to expand to 50,000, and add a newpress box, 13 suites and 1,400 club seats. Bleacher seat manufacturer DantClayton was also part of the team.
The project, estimated tocost $35 million, was put on hold after the school took a closer look at how itwas going to pay for the expansion.
FIU reissued thedesign-build proposal about two months ago after the Florida Board of Governorsapproved issuing bonds to initially finance the project, which will be paid offthrough stadium operating revenue, premium-seat sales and sponsorships, includingnaming rights.
FIU President ModestoMaidique sent Turner Construction a letter recently informing the firm thatits team had won the second and latest bid, according to Koger.
Pete Garcia, theschool’s athletic director, who took over for Rick Mello in October, didnot return e-mails for comment.
The Golden Panthers plan toplay their 2007 home games at Orange Bowl Stadium before moving intotheir expanded facility in 2008.
Don Muret can be reached at dmuret@sportsbusinessjournal.com.
