Coronavirus cluster slows construction at Bryant-Denny Stadium

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An outbreak of the coronavirus at Bryant-Denny Stadium has endangered the safety of the construction crew and subcontractors working on the University of Alabama’s renovation project, AL.com has learned.

More than 10 people have tested positive for COVID-19, according to people familiar with the outbreak, but the number could be much higher. With so many exposures and a lack of transparency about the outbreak, there is a fear that more positive cases linked to the job site are inevitable.

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The large number of positive tests means, essentially, everyone at the job site could have been exposed.

Caddell Construction of Montgomery is the general contractor for Alabama’s stadium renovation. A message for the company was not returned on Wednesday. Work on the stadium was briefly shut down over the weekend for a deep cleaning, according to a statement the firm provided to The Tuscaloosa News, but workers were present on the job site on Monday.

The stadium is undergoing a $107 million renovation with the first game of the season scheduled for Sept.12. Further delays could leave work incomplete before the start of the season. The renovation started in November, and the coronavirus outbreak is not the first job-site incident. Falling beams injured two workers in January.

The University of Alabama has emphasized proper safety precautions on campus and provided protective equipment and supplies, according to a statement:

“From the start of the pandemic, UA has continuously mandated that our campus contractors take all necessary steps to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The contractors immediately adapted operations and processes, engaged in heightened cleaning, and took other protective measures for the health and safety of their employees. The University directly provided sanitation supplies, thermometers, and signage at all construction sites, and made personal protective equipment available to all contractors. Those processes, which have been in place since early March, are continuously refined based on the latest guidance from state, federal and industry leaders in order to protect the health and safety of the campus community.”

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