Coliseum Repairs to Cost at Least...

Earthquake repairs at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum will cost at least $42 million and probably $44.5 million, an increase of 20% or more beyond the $35 million originally estimated, the Coliseum Commission’s project director said Wednesday.

Don C. Webb, addressing the commission’s monthly meeting, declared, however, that the project remains “on pace” for a substantial completion by the first USC and Raider home games in September. The main contractor, Ronald Tutor, concurred, saying, “I’m confident we will open Sept. 3” for the USC-Washington game.

The Raiders’ Coliseum opener is scheduled for Sept. 11 against the Seattle Seahawks, unless the team follows through on one of various flirtations with other cities and leaves Los Angeles.

Anthony Lazzaro, a USC vice president emeritus who represents the university at commission meetings, said USC is confident that close to a regular capacity of 68,000 seats will be ready for its opening game.

The Raiders, apparently unrepresented at the meeting, did not return a phone call seeking comment.

Webb said the costs have increased for four primary reasons:

* Drilling seismic reinforcing piles as deep as 92 feet has required more labor and machinery than first expected.

* The porous nature of existing concrete has required a huge amount of high-strength epoxy, costing $100 a gallon to seal approximately 10,000 cracks caused by the earthquake. Already, 700 gallons of the resin-polymer mixture has been used, and several hundred more gallons will be required.

* The Los Angeles Fire Department has mandated that sprinklers be installed on the upper concourse level of the stadium, as well as other expensive new safety features.

* It has become obvious that the press box has been damaged beyond repair, and a decision is close on demolishing it, building temporary press seating for next fall and constructing a permanent new press box once historic preservation groups approve.

This is likely to add about $2.5 million to the minimum new projected repair cost of $42 million.

Webb added that even these new estimates are not solid and that costs could increase even more.

Replacement of the stadium’s video screens above the damaged peristyle may also be necessary and would cost even more, he said, although repairs of the historic peristyle are included in the $42-million new budget.

Webb said that, so far, representatives of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is putting up 90% of the money for the repairs, have indicated that they are committed to finishing the project. And the state has committed to the other 10%. So he is optimistic that financing will be available for everything needed.

Already, Coliseum officials said, the cost of Coliseum repairs exceeds the $30-million cost of repairing the quake-damaged Santa Monica Freeway.

Tutor and consultant Larry A. Wiggs, meanwhile, told the commission that much progress has been made at achieving very substantial ethnic and racial representation among the 400-member work force making the repairs.

About one-third of all the money spent is going to more than a dozen minority subcontractors, Tutor said.

Wiggs said that, not even counting the labor force of the minority contractors, about 35% of Tutor-Saliba’s own work force on the project is African American, 38% is Latino and 27% is white or Asian.