Loose Screws

Bank One Ballpark may be in danger of collapsing. The Arizona Diamondbacks didn't want you to know that.

A A A Comments By John Dougherty Thursday, Dec 14 2000

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In addition, Dozer says the team also paid for the October 9 visual inspection of some of the Dywidags by Martin/Martin -- an inspection that Dozer says confirmed the Dywidags were tight.

Dozer rejects suggestions that the team's financial troubles played a factor in the team's slow response in testing the bolts. The delays were caused by engineers debating on what was the best way to test the bolts.

The Diamondbacks kept secret Ramon J. Cook's warning letter until August 21.

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"I wanted this thing resolved right away," he says. "If I drag my feet and something happens a week later, I would have to live with something like that the rest of my life. No way."

If the visual inspection had shown a problem, Dozer says the team was prepared to do whatever was necessary to fix the problem.

"We would rip apart the building and look for everything we could find."

The visual inspection on which Dozer bases his promise for aggressive action, however, falls short of what Cook, the team's own construction manager, John Wasson, and Geiger Engineers initially recommended to do to alleviate concerns about the Dywidag connections.

All three recommended that the Dywidag connections be physically inspected to see if any nuts were loose.

So far, no one has placed a wrench to a single Dywidag nut and tried to it give a twist.

For more information on Bank One Ballpark construction issues:
(Problems of Roofian Proportion, December 11, 1997)
(Fiddling With the Roof, April 9, 1998)
(Problems of Roofian Proportion, March 9, 2000)