FAA delays report on stadium restrictions

The FAA has pushed back its final safety report on the Arizona Cardinals’ football stadium from September 11 until October 11, leaving the stadium builders frustrated about the delay. Ted Ferris, president of the tourism and sports authority, said, “We’ve got a critical steel order and other key dates coming up in the fall to keep this project on budget and avoid further delays.” The NFL football franchise has agreed to move its stadium site from a location a few miles away on the extended centerline of Runway 26 at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport (PHX). The new site places the stadium some 1,600 ft south. The original site violates a new FAA clearance standard for emergency landings. The move will cost the Cardinals an estimated $10- to $12 million. The final FAA safety report had been scheduled for September 11, but was postponed while the FAA gathered more information.