Alleging Shoddy Stadium Work, University of Akron Sues Companies

The University of Akron in Ohio is suing several companies over the condition of railings in the school’s stadium, saying shoddy construction and design led to $1 million in needed repairs.

The university lawsuit included photographs that show railings at Infocision Stadium missing chunks of concrete and with big cracks. The school blames problems at the decade-old stadium on “poor design, failed overnight and construction deficiencies.”

University spokesman Wayne Hill tells the Akron Beacon Journal that efforts to resolve the matter without filing a lawsuit were unsuccessful.

The stadium built in 2009 cost $71 million and holds about 30,000 people.

Welty Building Co., the construction manager, says a contractor improperly installed railings and Welty has worked continuously with the university over several years to help fix the problem.