Mission CISD sues contractor for delayed stadium renovation

The Mission Consolidated Independent School District sued McAllen contractor Holchemont and subcontractor Sturdisteel last month, claiming they “fumbled the ball” with the much delayed renovation of Tom Landry Stadium.

The district claims those entities’ work on the project was late and defective.

Holchemont conducted a more than $7 million stadium renovation in 2017, with a scope of work that included new parking, seating, ticket booths, lighting and a press box with an elevator.

But assessments launched two years later, in 2019, prompted the district to pay another contractor over $1 million for more construction and to close the stadium for the 2021 season.

Games returned to the stadium this season.

The district’s players also played their 2017 season completely on the road.

“MCISD made it abundantly clear to Holchemont that the project needed to be completed before the start of the Texas high school football season,” the suit says. “Holchemont failed to timely complete the project. Holchemont’s failure left MCISD without a football stadium it could use for most of the Texas high school football season. MCISD suffered a loss of the benefit of its bargain when Holchemont did not timely complete the project. MCISD is entitled to liquidated damages for Holchemont’s failure to timely achieve substantial completion.”

The suit says the district is entitled to $1,500 per day for each day after the date Holchemont was required to achieve substantial completion and did not.

Work performed by Sturdisteel, the district claims, was not done correctly. The suit says bleacher supports were not aligned with concrete piers during the project, resulting in a “defective and dangerous bleacher system.”

“The bleacher supports themselves were warped and rusted. When MCISD complained, Sturdisteel and its counsel blithely declared the rusting bleacher supports to be nothing more than a ‘cosmetic’ issue,” it says. “Sturdisteel failed to perform its work on the stadium in a good and workmanlike manner. The bleacher system was defective and not as warranted.”

The district lists a dozen complaints about improper renovations, including defective parking area work, faulty piers, obstructed facilities, and missing fasteners. The district claims Holchemont failed to correct work in compliance with the district’s contract and that Sturdisteel breached its warranties. Both entities, the suit says, have conducted a site review but have not corrected construction defects.

The district is suing the companies for over a million dollars in damages.