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Tackling a Super project

Kingsford man helped oversee construction of SoFi Stadium, site of NFL’s Super Bowl LVI on Sunday

KEITH HAMMOND Of Kingsford, a senior project manager for construction of SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., looks over the operation during the “dig-out” phase. The field at this year’s Super Bowl site was built more than 100 feet below ground. (Submitted photo)

IRON MOUNTAIN — While The Green Bay Packers won’t be in Sunday’s Super Bowl, the region does have a connection to the setting for the big event.

Kingsford resident Keith Hammond was a senior project manager for construction of SoFi Stadium in Ingelwood, Calif., the superstar host of this year’s game.

Designed as an indoor-outdoor facility, SoFi is the NFL’s largest stadium in pure size at 3.1 million square feet. NBA legend LeBron James, after one visit, called it “the best stadium in the world.”

“I reminded our team to keep things in perspective and not to become overwhelmed,” project manager Hammond said of the record $4.3 billion cost.

SoFi was built beginning in late 2016 and opened for the 2020 season as home for the Los Angeles Chargers and the Los Angeles Rams. The NFC’s Rams, who will face the AFC’s Cincinnati Bengals, are just the second franchise, along with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021, to play a Super Bowl on their home turf.

LOCATED JUST A few miles from Los Angeles International Airport, SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., shown under construction, can be viewed from a window seat. (Submitted photo)

“I’m often asked, ‘Who’s your team?'” Hammond said. “The shallow answer is whoever I’m currently building for.”

Originally from Denver, Hammond worked 10 years in health care before entering construction management. His first experience, under the tutelage of Iron Mountain’s Michael Constantini, was a $350 million Lambeau Field redevelopment in 2001.

Employed by Turner Construction, he assisted such projects as the new $1.2 billion New York Yankees Stadium that opened in 2009 as well as a $600 million expansion of Arrowhead Stadium, which wrapped up in 2010.

After several years providing project management services for M.J. Electric of Iron Mountain, a division of Quanta Services, Inc, Hammond took on an important role for SoFi.

He was part of the Legends Project Development team, retained as project and program managers for the Kroenke Group, a sports and entertainment holding company based in Denver. Billionaire businessman Stan Kroenke heads the enterprise, which owns the Rams as well as the Denver Nuggets of the NBA and Colorado Avalanche of the NHL, among others.

THE SUPER BOWL 56 logo signage is shown at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. The Cincinnati Bengals face the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI on Sunday. The signature feature of SoFi is its open-ended, semi-translucent, one million-square-foot roof. (AP photo)

The signature feature of SoFi is its open-ended, semi-translucent, 1-million-square-foot roof. The design of the 500-million-pound cover enables the sun to shine inside the stadium and breezes to be felt from the ocean. It can host approximately 70,000 fans and is expandable to accommodate up to 100,000.

SoFi also boasts a double-sided video board that sits 120 feet above the field and contains panels as tall as 40 feet.

Built mainly on the site of the empty Hollywood Park horse race track, the 300-acre project was under the direction of developer Wilson Meany, except for the stadium “proper,” which was under the charge of Legends, Hammond said.

“A very complex project from day one,” he said. “I spent more time at City Hall in Inglewood from 2016 to 2020 than any of my previous six sporting facilities combined.”

The stadium is 3.2 miles east of Los Angeles International Airport, posing problems for radar and landings. “Our first challenge issued to the design team, HKS Inc. of Dallas, was how to make it ‘invisible,'” Hammond said.

The solution was to build the field below ground.

“Digging down 108 feet, 3.5 miles from the Pacific Ocean, yielded some concerns of hitting water,” Hammond said. “When fans walk into the stadium, they are walking in on Level 6 of 8.”

The dig never did hit water, but record rains during excavation contributed to a delay in completion.

Hammond managed permitting efforts for utilities, fire, life, safety and food and beverages, as well as fine furnishings and equipment. City officials were accommodating and supportive, he said, even as the weather threw its curves.

While the $4.3 billion stadium price tag is significant, the cost aligns with recent builds in Dallas, San Francisco and Atlanta, Hammond noted.

But it’s a lot to figure.

“One of my initial actions, after purchasing 10 umbrellas for guest and staff, was the purchase of five 12-digit calculators for our project managers,” Hammond said.

“One element — the seismic sensitivity, monitoring and mitigation efforts — is just north of $1 billion that no one will ever see,” he added. “The mechanically stabilized earth wall, strap and grade beams are buried well beneath the grade.”

Legends had eight people working in supervision. There were four from Kroenke itself, 12 from architect HKS, and about 350 managers, engineers, superintendents, safety personnel and administrators from builder Turner Construction Company/AECOM Hunt.

About 3,000 workers were on site daily at the peak of construction, with more than 17,000 people in total contributing, according to the contractor.

Beyond the stadium, the project has terraced pathways, gardens and patios. The site includes a 6,000-seat YouTube Theater and 2.5-acre American Airlines Plaza. Its green space accommodates a 6-acre lake and 12-acre Lake Park.

Hammond, after recent knee surgery, won’t be attending Sunday’s game. He’s been on hand for some other events at So-Fi as his travel schedule has allowed.

In 2020, he launched a consultant company, Hammond Solutions LLC, offering a chance to work on multiple projects. He also is senior vice president for Lanier United LLC, now involved with the Intuit Dome arena project in Inglewood, future home of the Los Angeles Clippers.

“My number of weekly flights remain similar, but my number of days away from home are fewer as I’m able to leverage more day trips and virtual meetings,” Hammond said, adding, “I’ve tried to be home with my family every weekend, at a minimum.”

In the community, Hammond has served on the Dickinson County Healthcare System Board during the past year. He is a past president of the Iron Mountain-Kingsford Builders Exchange Board. A graduate of Oklahoma State University, he has a master’s degree in public administration from Northern Michigan University.

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