Facilities Management Advisor’s “Under Construction” series highlights some of the latest, most interesting facility project announcements every month.
New NFL Stadium
NFL games might be over for now, but a number of football teams (including the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars) are currently working on major stadium projects during the offseason. In Ohio, the Cleveland Browns and partners have officially broken ground on the new Huntington Bank Field, the future home of the NFL team starting in the 2029 season. The $2.6 billion venue will serve as Ohio’s first enclosed stadium and be capable of hosting world-class events throughout the year, including Browns games, NCAA Final Fours, international soccer matches, and concerts for crowds of up to 75,000.
Organizations: Haslam Sports Group and Cleveland Browns
Location: Brook Park, Ohio
Type of project: New build
Size: Up to 75,000 seats
Estimated cost: $2.6 billion
Design-build team: AECOM Hunt, Turner Construction Co., and HKS
Status: Ground broken on April 30
Expected completion: 2029
Interesting tidbit: The venue will be constructed alongside a mixed-use entertainment district, representing Northeast Ohio’s largest economic development project to date. According to project partners, the new stadium will feature a “revolutionary” seating bowl design that offers flexible capacity and brings fans closer to the field than any other NFL stadium. Inspired by Cleveland’s iconic atriums, the venue’s transparent roof will provide natural light and is considered the “first-ever” long-span roof without a truss.
Quote: Ken Johnson, a COO from construction partner AECOM Hunt, said the new Huntington Bank Field “will deliver an unparalleled experience for football fans while featuring the flexibility to host a variety of large-scale, blockbuster events that will generate significant economic growth and attract more audiences to the region than ever before.”
More details are available here.
More Solar at Major Airport
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced a major expansion of solar energy at Newark Liberty International Airport, which will add approximately 5 megawatts (MW) across five airport sites and produce nearly 5.9 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of clean energy in its first year of operation, enough to power more than 550 homes. The project will add to the Port Authority’s growing renewable energy portfolio, which includes a massive solar-plus-storage project at JFK Airport, and help the agency meet its net-zero sustainability goals.
Organizations: Port Authority of NY and NJ and Newark Liberty International Airport
Location: Newark, N.J.
Type of project: New build
Size: ~5 MW
Estimated cost: N/A
Design-build team: SunLight General Capital
Status: Announced May 11
Expected completion: 2028
Interesting tidbit: The five new solar installations at Newark Liberty will span rooftops, parking lots, and parking structures. The airport’s Terminal A parking garage already houses a 5 MW rooftop solar array, the largest rooftop solar installation at any U.S. airport, with 12,708 panels covering the equivalent of more than six football fields. Newark Liberty’s historic Building One, dedicated in 1935 as the nation’s first air passenger terminal, recently became the Port Authority’s first building to undergo a full decarbonization retrofit, eliminating all fossil fuel use on-site and serving as the prototype for future building decarbonization plans across the agency.
Quote: Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia said the new solar installations “show that our net-zero commitment is more than wishful thinking. It is a construction schedule and a signed agreement, with the reality of clean energy coming online at one of the busiest airports in the country.”
More details are available here.
Google’s $15B Infrastructure Investment
The data center market is hot and shows no signs of cooling down. In fact, tech giant Google announced plans to deepen its commitment in Missouri through a $15 billion investment in building infrastructure, including a new data center in Montgomery County. Hailed as a “historic” investment by Gov. Mike Kehoe, Google’s commitment will also fund major workforce, energy, and community initiatives across the state related to its data center development.
Organization: Google
Location: Montgomery County, Mo.
Type of project: New build
Size: N/A
Estimated cost: $15 billion
Status: Announced May 20
Expected completion: N/A
Interesting tidbit: Google’s focus on workforce development comes as the skilled trades face a critical labor shortage. Through partnerships with local training organizations, the company said more than 2,300 construction workers—including 1,500 apprentices—are expected to receive training over the next two years. Google also emphasized it will cover the full cost of the electricity and infrastructure directly tied to its data center operations and will use advanced air-cooling technology to minimize water consumption.
Quote: Ruth Porat, president and chief investment officer of Alphabet and Google, said, “This commitment will provide thousands of Missourians with valuable technical and trade skills, while supporting energy affordability for residents in Montgomery County and across the state.”
More details are available here.
Honorable Mentions
- UFC Fighting Cage at White House
- Cancer Center Ceremony with Former Patient
- CSU Advanced Laser Facility
- School Campus for Biliterate Students
- Memphis Zoo Expansion
Do you have a major project announcement you’d like considered for the “Under Construction” series? Please contact Editor Joe Bebon at JBebon@BLR.com.