The San Jose Earthquakes announced Friday that due to continuing complications at the club’s new stadium construction site, the venue will now open for the 2015 Major League Soccer season.
All 2014 regular-season games are currently scheduled for Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
“We are continuing to work hard to deliver the best stadium possible for our fans,” Earthquakes president Dave Kaval said in a statement. “However, due to significant complications at the stadium site, we do not feel certain that we could open the stadium for the 2014 season.
"Without the certainty that we can open next year, we felt that the best decision would be to move the opening to the start of 2015. We are obviously disappointed, but we are more committed than ever to build a first-class venue that we know our fans deserve.”
The full scope of the site-related work could only be determined when the work was fully underway, and the site-related work has continued to take longer than expected, according to the Earthquakes’ press release.
Beyond the complications announced in July, there have been additional complexities in connecting the stadium to the city sewer system, and the high water table has slowed the site utility phase.
“Projects of this size and scope often encounter delays, especially with the amount of demolition and site preparation we had to do,” Kaval said. “What is most important is that we build a great stadium that will stand the test of time for our fans and this community.”
Despite the complications at the site, progress has been made on the project, according to the Earthquakes. Demolition and grading are now complete and the site utilities have been installed. Additionally, the footings are currently being placed.
The next steps in the process will be the pouring of the foundations for both the stadium and team building, followed by the steel erection.
The team office building is scheduled to be erected in November, followed by the stadium bowl in late December.
