Mercedes-Benz Stadium

GoGATech

Big Dummy
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From what I hear the roof will be closed for the foreseeable future due to either problems with the mechanized open/close system or just for required occupancy testing. Whichever is the case doesn't matter, the roof will be closed for the college games and I imagine several weeks of NFL season. Once it's operational, I know they'll likely have to keep field lights on even for day games, but man this is still gonna be one hell of a shadow to play in.

 

jacket67

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I think they tried to get too clever with the roof mechanism. They put style before function, and now they are stuck with something that is going to result in unexpected costs and delays, and might not be operational for some time. It should be a really nice facility, but the main advantage over the Georgia Dome was the retractable roof.
 

coit

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I'm really curious to know what it is that won't work now, but might work in the future. Seems like if it was a fixable problem, they would've fixed it by now.
 

JJacket

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Leave it open or leave it shut. As small of an opening (OK, setting myself up for mom joke) as that is, probably most or all fans would be shielded from rain and the wind would be a non factor.
 

coit

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Leave it open or leave it shut. As small of an opening (OK, setting myself up for mom joke) as that is, probably most or all fans would be shielded from rain and the wind would be a non factor.

You think a 200+ foot diameter hole is small? Wow, you must really go for the loose women.
 

Architorture23

If ur players know u luv them, then u already won.
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that small opening is nearly 400' across and 125,000 sf.
 

andrew

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I think they tried to get too clever with the roof mechanism. They put style before function, and now they are stuck with something that is going to result in unexpected costs and delays, and might not be operational for some time. It should be a really nice facility, but the main advantage over the Georgia Dome was the retractable roof.
I'm pretty sure the main advantage over the Georgia Dome is nicer luxury boxes that can be sold for more money. Let's not kid ourselves, this stadium wasn't built because they wanted a retractable roof, it was built because they wanted to make more money.

You think a 200+ foot diameter hole is small? Wow, you must really go for the loose women.
Like father, like son.
 

TheTaxJacket

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The roof is operational as I understand it. In order for it to be approved for occupancy and safety it needs 40 mechanized operations. Given that there is less than only 30 days until the first events start they cant get the 40 sessions in enough time.

The roof works, but it needs to clear mechanized testing to clear licensing.
 

Architorture23

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The roof is operational as I understand it. In order for it to be approved for occupancy and safety it needs 40 mechanized operations. Given that there is less than only 30 days until the first events start they cant get the 40 sessions in enough time.

The roof works, but it needs to clear mechanized testing to clear licensing.
He said it typically takes 40 days to “mechanize” such a roof after its last “contruction move.” Since three more construction moves of the roof are scheduled in the coming weeks, the 40-day clock won’t even begin until after those moves. And Cannon indicated the process could take longer than 40 days because it will be sandwiched around a heavy schedule of events in the stadium.

http://www.ajc.com/sports/football/...-roof-for-first-games/aCfF4tY2jMiQ2WOUcHirGI/
 

gth874t

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The roof is operational as I understand it. In order for it to be approved for occupancy and safety it needs 40 mechanized operations. Given that there is less than only 30 days until the first events start they cant get the 40 sessions in enough time.

The roof works, but it needs to clear mechanized testing to clear licensing.
 

jacket67

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I'm pretty sure the main advantage over the Georgia Dome is nicer luxury boxes that can be sold for more money. Let's not kid ourselves, this stadium wasn't built because they wanted a retractable roof, it was built because they wanted to make more money.
I think they could have made the luxury boxes at the Dome a lot nicer for less than a billion dollars. They built it to have a facility that would compete with other new stadiums around the country and attract a Super Bowl. It never would have gotten approved and funded without being a retractable roof stadium.
 

BainbridgeJacket

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Nothing strikes me as disaster prone about tinkering with dynamic overhead structures that weigh hundreds of tons around an event schedule that places hundreds of thousands of people directly below them.

Let's hope they don't change out that tie rod without a well engineered DCN.
 

LongforDodd

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I'm really curious to know what it is that won't work now, but might work in the future. Seems like if it was a fixable problem, they would've fixed it by now.
The whole moving roof is simple yet somewhat complicated. This simple parts are the mechanisms to making the the panels move. What they are probably having trouble with and what could have gone wrong is the alignment of the tracks that the panels roll on. Making all that steel fit together is somewhat complicated and getting it all aligned to make those large still panels roll smoothly to where the electric motors that are moving those panels don't overheat/overload cold be the tricky part.
 

jacket67

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The roof is operational as I understand it. In order for it to be approved for occupancy and safety it needs 40 mechanized operations. Given that there is less than only 30 days until the first events start they cant get the 40 sessions in enough time.

The roof works, but it needs to clear mechanized testing to clear licensing.
This makes sense, but I'm surprised they can't open it and close it two or three times in one day. Maybe it requires time-consuming inspections during the process.
 

Akinji07

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Nothing strikes me as disaster prone about tinkering with dynamic overhead structures that weigh hundreds of tons around an event schedule that places hundreds of thousands of people directly below them.

Let's hope they don't change out that tie rod without a well engineered DCN.
Are we really gonna be upset if it collapses on bama and fsu fans?
 

GoGATech

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The whole moving roof is simple yet somewhat complicated. This simple parts are the mechanisms to making the the panels move. What they are probably having trouble with and what could have gone wrong is the alignment of the tracks that the panels roll on. Making all that steel fit together is somewhat complicated and getting it all aligned to make those large still panels roll smoothly to where the electric motors that are moving those panels don't overheat/overload cold be the tricky part.
It shouldn't be tricky at all for a team of decent engineers.
 

GoGATech

Big Dummy
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This makes sense, but I'm surprised they can't open it and close it two or three times in one day. Maybe it requires time-consuming inspections during the process.
This was my thought as well. I thought I read somewhere that it will only take like 10-20 mins to open or close.
 
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