All of the tree clearing, rock blasting and dirt pushing at the site of the new Atlanta Braves stadium cost about $53 million this year.
The spending is revealed in eight change orders that have been submitted by the project’s general contractor, American Builders, and approved by Cobb County and the Braves. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution obtained the documents through Georgia’s Open Records Act.
Change orders are being used until American Builders and the Braves agree on a “Guaranteed Maximum Price” for the stadium, or the maximum price for construction of the facility, said Bill Volckmann, assistant comptroller for Cobb County.
The stadium project has a $622 million budget, which includes “soft” costs such as fees for attorneys, architects and construction managers.
Volckmann said the costs ultimately will be paid by bond proceeds, after the county takes on debt for its share of the stadium, or from the $230 million the Braves have agreed to invest in construction.
The county’s plan to issue up to $397 million in bonds for the project has been challenged, and will be heard by the state Supreme Court in February. The bonds can be issued only if the high court rules that the county’s plan is legal.
Volckmann said moving three underground pipelines that traverse the site is not included in the spending so far because the Braves are paying those costs. The Braves would not say how much that work cost.
The change orders are:
- $12.7 million for site work, which includes clearing and grading the land.
- $12 million for foundation work.
- $7.4 million for plumbing design.
- $6.6 million for drilling piers.
- $5.9 million for "mobilization" of the general contractor.
- $3.1 million for permits.
- $2.8 million for shoring.
- $2.5 million for permits submitted in December.
Documents reviewed by the newspaper include weekly reports to County Manager David Hankerson from the county’s project manager for the stadium, Heery International. Those reports, with December 1 being the most recent, say the Braves are dealing with several issues at the ballpark site.
The documents say several complaints have been made by neighbors over the rock blasting and rock crushing activities at the site. The “team continues to politely address sound related complaints by the surrounding community,” according to the reports.
The Braves also want to obtain LEED certification, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, which is a green building certification program.
The December report says a LEED energy model was completed by engineers on December 1, with a target of reducing energy consumption by 20 percent.
“Discussions are underway regarding rewards/costs relative to recycled waste streams, storage and reuse of gray water, commissioning,” the report says. “Whether or not LEED certification is financially feasible is still under review and consideration by the Braves.”
When asked about the certification, a Braves spokeswoman responded: “We are working with a team of experts to determine our options.”
The reports also say that “unsuitable soil” will not allow building construction with conventional foundation systems or ratings.
Crews are “reviewing alternatives to keeping all or some portion of unsuitable on site to reduce costs of hauling and disposing off site,” the December report says.
When asked if the team had settled on a solution to the problem, and how much it would cost, a Braves spokeswoman replied that unsuitable soil “is something that is not uncommon and is currently being mitigated.”
The AJC has requested additional documents that will shed more light on those issues.
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