With just 14 months to go, stadium is 44 percent done

Nearly half the money is spent and construction work on the $1.8 billion, 65,000seat Las Vegas Stadium is closing in on the halfway point, a representative of the Raiders said.

Don Webb, chief operatingofficerofthelasvegas Stadium Co., a subsidiary of the Oakland Raiders, said construction work is about 44 percent completed with opening day just over 14 months away.

Webb said the company has spent between 47 percent and 48 percent of the total cost, which is supplemented by a $750 million public contribution generated by a 0.88 percentage-point increase in Clark County’s varied rate hotel room tax.

Eleven of the 26 canopy trusses ringing the stadium perimeter have been installed with the help of two supercranes and a small army of ironworkers responsible for the precision placement of the steel that will support the translucent stadium roof, Webb said.

The roof will be assembled on the stadium floor, then lifted into place.

Last month, Webb said he hoped all the trusses would be in place by July 31, adding that if they aren’t placed by then it wouldn’t result in a delay in the opening. He said the schedule would be resequenced and the time made up.

The 65-ton canopy trusses are assembled on the ground, then lifted into position and bolted to the highest reaches of the stadium frame. Each truss is then secured with steel infilling between them.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal. com or 702-477-3893. Follow @Rickvelotta on Twitter.