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By USF’s on-campus football stadium is, as president Rhea Law said during a board of trustees committee meeting this week, “taking shape.”
A document recently obtained by the Tampa Bay Times sheds a little more insight into what that looks like for the 35,000-seat venue.
The school and a building group led by Manhattan Construction Company have signed their contract after the board rubber-stamped its broad terms this summer. Here are a few takeaways from the 128 pages released through a public-records request.
How much will the new USF football stadium cost?
The document calls the final price tag a guaranteed maximum price, or GMP. The figure is still blank.
Trustees will have to sign off on the final cost. If USF and the builders can’t agree, the school has the right to cancel the contract. USF can also cancel the deal after the maximum price with 28 days’ notice.
USF’s construction budget is listed at $324 million. There’s also $16 million listed for general conditions: about $14.6 million for labor, $934,000 in non-labor costs and the rest for worker’s comp.
The build team gets almost $321,000 for the first, pre-construction phase. It will also receive a fee of 2.25% of the project cost.
The smallest figure is $10 — the cost to USF for a liability provision. USF also has the right to buy items worth more than $25,000 directly from suppliers to save on sales tax.
To pay for the project (including an operations center for football and lacrosse), USF plans to borrow up to $200 million. The rest comes from donations, broadband equipment/licenses sales, the students’ capital improvement trust fund and other auxiliary accounts.
When will the USF football stadium open?
The timeline remains the 2027 season. If it’s not ready, the builders owe the Bulls $2 million for every game it’s unavailable.
The sides must finalize a date for substantial completion — when USF can start using the building. If the construction team misses that deadline, it owes USF $7,500 per day.
The contract builds in 54 “weather-impacted workdays” each year, ranging from two in November to nine in August. Builders must specify materials/equipment with long lead times to mitigate the risk of delays from a backed-up supply chain or rising costs.
The contractors will track progress with a daily log and submit monthly, written progress reports to USF, complete with updates showing the remaining time and costs.
A standard force majeure section lists extenuating circumstances like hurricanes, epidemics, blights, blockades, energy shortages and discovering hazardous materials or historical artifacts.
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Groundbreaking is set for Oct. 18.
When the stadium is finished
USF must make its final payment within 30 days of completion. The deal includes a 12-month warranty for the construction company to correct any issues.
As the project winds down, contractors will give USF basic information about every piece of equipment — manufacturer contact information, model numbers, diagrams and warranties. The build team will provide at least 40 hours of help from professionals to show USF things like emergency operations, alarms and other controls.
Other interesting nuggets
Manhattan will provide a climate-controlled office to manage the project in the field. The construction company is also responsible for having enough on-site toilets for workers.
USF’s duties include providing electricity and water to build the facilities and test mechanical systems and plumbing.
Though the state has cracked down on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, the document notes USF is “committed to fostering a diverse community by a shared purpose” that includes trust and “inclusiveness.” Practically, it sets a target of 36% participation by businesses owned by women or minorities, veteran-owned firms or other small businesses. They could be responsible for things like flooring or landscaping.
Manhattan’s plan includes outreach with groups like Hillsborough County’s NAACP. The build team wants to expand its ties to USF sports, including female athletes to “increase opportunities in construction for women.” Relationships with current players could lead to internships or careers and, “to the level of the University’s desires,” name, image and likeness (NIL) deals.
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