Worker At Raiders’ Allegiant Stadium Construction Site Tests Positive For COVID-19 Virus
By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
A construction worker at the Raiders’ construction site has tested positive for the coronavirus and is in isolation.
“The individual is now self-isolating for 14 days and will not return to work until cleared to do so,” the Mortenson-McCarthy Joint Venture wrote in a statement on the worker.
“Mortenson/McCarthy previously implemented stringent cleaning protocols on the project consistent with CDC guidelines. In accordance with those protocols, the area where the worker had been assigned, and the surrounding vicinity, was immediately shut down and sanitized. Work continues in other areas of the project that remain unaffected,” the statement read.
Here’s a work scene at the Raiders’ construction project from Tuesday, just a day ago.
Here’s the top part of the statement:
LVSportsBiz.com visited the 62.5-acre construction site this week and witnessed workers next to each other during lunch breaks and also while working. Under Gov. Steve Sisolak’s stay-at-home order, construction work was deemed essential work.
Here’s a photo of workers congregating close to each other on Tuesday. The Mortenson/McCarthy letter said the joint contractor team implemented social distancing and reduced worker concentrations.
Workers also work close during their jobs, like when they’re pouring concrete.
The Mortenson-McCarthy letter was submitted to the public stadium authority board Wednesday afternoon, said Jeremy Aguero, a Las Vegas consultant working with the stadium panel. It’s unclear when the worker last worked at the stadium construction site.
Tommy White, a stadium board member and business manager for Laborers Local 872, said the worker was not an 872 member. White said it’s not necessary to request any further safety measures or precautions for 872 members at the stadium site in response to the pandemic because “we have them already.”
The Raiders say the $1.97 billion stadium project is scheduled to be completed July 31. The stadium will be domed with 65,000 seats. All 65,000 seats were sold for a Garth Brooks concert scheduled for Aug. 22.
The spread of COVID-19 has prompted the shutdown of much of the sports industry in the U.S., including the NBA, NHL, MLS and MLB. Las Vegas-based UFC is forging ahead with a UFC 249 fight event on April 18. UFC President Dana White said he has secured a venue for UFC 249, and will announce the location in a few days.
There are 321 cases of COVID-19 in the state of Nevada as of Wednesday. The NFL scrubbed its Draft public events set for Las Vegas in April. The pandemic crisis also prompted Olympic officials to postpone the 2020 Summer Games in Japan for 2021. Will the pandemic affect the NFL schedule?
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