So far, the biggest challenge facing the renovation crew at Spartan Stadium hasn't been the weather, late supply deliveries or unexpected soil conditions.
In fact, workers in almost every area of employment, worldwide, experience a similar problem - working together.
"This job is no different than any other job," said Mike Poole, project superintendent. "We're dealing with every major trade. Everybody wants to get their job done as quickly as possible."
"Sometimes you have to slow down one trade so another can get ahead of them because, overall, it's the best course of action."
Interpersonal problems haven't delayed the project's progress. After about 31,500 man-hours, renovations to Spartan Stadium are on schedule and succinct with the plan's original $61 million budget.
The work, which includes new luxury boxes and additional club, or box, seats, began following the end of the 2003 football season - and is expected to be complete before the kickoff of the 2005 season. Home games during the 2004 football season will not be affected.
On Friday, the construction crew expects to raise the final steel support to the top of the structure's frame, individually signed by workers and clad in both an American and Spartan flag.
In addition to the flags, an evergreen tree will be hoisted to the top, a tradition begun when iron and steel replaced timber as building supports. In the process called "topping out," construction crews hoist the trees for good luck or to signal no crew member deaths to that point in the process.
"The whole project has been going very well," said Greg Ianni, MSU's associate director of athletics, the department responsible for funding the majority of the work. "It's moving along better than expected.
"We haven't encountered any of the potential glitches that can happen with construction projects."
Most glitches, he said, usually are either schedule or supply-oriented, or have to deal with poor weather.
The Athletics Department, which is funded separately from the university, is responsible for about $50 million of the funding, the rest derived from funds used to lease off-campus office space rented by MSU's fund-raising division, University Development.
New luxury suites and additional club, or box, seating are the main focus of the construction, which will increase stadium capacity to approximately 75,000 from 72,027.
In all, about 24 new luxury suites, expected to cost customers between $35,000 and $80,000 annually, will be created in addition to 862 indoor and outdoor box seats that will cost between $4,500 and $6,500 per year.
Further, the eight-story expansion - which is projected to generate an additional $1 million of revenue annually - will also include improvements to the concourse and restrooms.
After completion of the project, the original "Spartan Statue" will be permanently displayed in the new addition's atrium. A identical bronze statue will replace it at its current location, just east of Jenison Field House.
