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Stadium repairs to cost $450,000

By BRADY DENNIS
Published July 2, 2005

TAMPA - Members of the Tampa Sports Authority voted Friday to spend a total of more than $450,000 replacing 34 ceiling panels that overhang sections of Raymond James Stadium.

The swift decision came weeks after part of a water-damaged, 28-foot panel fell onto the seats about 30 feet below. No one was inside the stadium when the water-damaged soffit, which overhangs the luxury suites and club seating, broke free during the rainy June 11-12 weekend.

Consultants hired by the sports authority found several other panels with water damage, so the authority decided to replace them all.

Earlier this week, sports authority members approved initial expenses of roughly $150,000 for scaffolding and $48,000 to tear out the remaining sections of soffit.

Those payments were approved through an emergency motion that obviates the usual bidding requirements.

Because the sports authority spends more money than it makes, financial operating shortfalls are covered by taxpayers. Hillsborough County government assumes two-thirds of financial losses and the city of Tampa takes on the rest.

Mayor Pam Iorio and County Administrator Pat Bean signed off on the initial expenditure for scaffolding and demolition work and, on Friday, approved an additional $270,000 payment to Robert Drywall Co. to install the new panels.

Robert Drywall installed the original panels. This time, workers will add a thin layer of rubberized asphalt on the inside surface of each ceiling panel to further protect against water damage.

Sports authority officials have not determined whether the seepage was caused by a design flaw, a construction problem, a defect with materials, poor maintenance or a combination of factors.

Later, the authority will try to figure out why it happened and whether it's possible to recoup the cost of repairs.

[Last modified July 2, 2005, 06:14:06]