Structural deficiencies and design defects have caused a brand-new high school football stadium to close, even though it has been open for less than two years. The community in Texas spent $60 million on the new stadium and no one anticipated any reason for the stadium to be closed to the public.
The stadium has several cracks in their concrete and can be seen throughout the stadium. Some of the cracks are said to be three-quarters of an inch wide. One of cracks is in front of the concession area, which is concerning since so many people gather there.
The cracks are signs of structural issues due to design defects, according to a report by Nelson Forensics. The company was hired by the school district to investigate the cracks in the stadium. Their report found that the stadium’s design did not meet building codes and has caused several structural issues that make it unsafe for people to be in the stadium.
The construction company and architectural company who designed the stadium are both working with the school district to figure out what caused the cracks. The companies said they will work to repair the defects. They both even offered to put money in an escrow account to pay for the repairs, but their insurance companies have not made the payments yet.
Despite the promises made by the construction company and architectural company to fix the repairs for free, the school district may end up paying the bill in the end. However, the school district could file a lawsuit against both companies for construction defects and design issues that have forced them to stop using the new stadium.
Many structural issues and design defects in new buildings lead to legal action against the construction company and/or designer. School districts in California should be aware of this case to see how design defects can cause serious structural issues in buildings and stadiums, which can lead to costly repairs and loss of revenue.
Source: USA Today, “Blame emerges like cracks in Texas high school stadium,” Eric Prisbell, June 10, 2014