As work escalates on Reliant Stadium, so does our coverage. HoustonTexans.com will now post construction photos every two weeks.
This set of photos focuses on the first of four steel super trusses that will hold the retractable roof in place. The first steel super truss is rising in the northwest corner. Reliant Stadium will boast the NFL's first retractable roof.
"Each of those pieces of steel weighs 45 tons," Texans Executive Vice President Steve Patterson says. "They will stretch out past the end of the stadium and end up totaling five city blocks."
The erection of the northwest super truss began on Jan. 3. The structural steel is arriving at the site and is being pre-assembled.
Thus far, 60 percent (655,000 of 1,100,000 square feet) of the elevated deck has been poured. Nearly 70 percent (100,500 of 145,000 cubic yards) of the total concrete has been poured. Roughly 62 percent of the steel tonnage (9,000 of 14,500 tons) is in place. Approximately 20 percent of the total structural pre-cast pieces have been set as of mid-February.
Both the northwest and southwest super columns have been completed, totaling 15 lifts each. Work has started on the 14th lift of the northeast super column. Lift eight is on tap for the southeast column.
There are currently 700 workers on the construction site.
Reliant Stadium is set to open in August of 2002 when the Texans host the Miami Dolphins in their first home preseason game. Houston will then host the Buccaneers the following week before embarking on their inaugural regular-season campaign.
Reliant Stadium will not only house the Texans, but will also serve as the host for the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, beginning in 2003. And the stadium is slated to host Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004.
