Location Scottsdale, AZ
Client Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community
Services Project Management
Project Value $100 million
Salt River Fields at Talking Stick is the first Major League Baseball Spring Training Facility ever built on Indian land, located on Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community grounds in Maricopa County, AZ. Home to the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies, the facility includes an 11,000-seat ballpark; 12 replica and practice fields; and related buildings including Major and Minor League signature clubhouses, training facilities, and offices for each team.
Hill’s engagement started in the planning and budgeting of the facility. As the project progressed from the planning phase into construction and close-out, Hill’s services were expanded to include additional scope. The facility was the first spring training facility to receive a LEED Certified Gold ranking from the U.S. Green Building Council.
Hill was retained to prepare an initial budget estimate at the concept level prior to the CM-at-Risk selection and to develop a detailed project schedule identifying long-lead and critical scope items. Hill’s detailed approach produced a budget estimate that was less than 1% from the final cost and gave the owner a strong position in CM-at-Risk negotiations and LEED certification feasibility. As the project progressed into design, updated estimates provided the complete cost breakdown and an integrated master schedule, providing the owner key information regarding potential fast-track issues such as parking needs and potential labor disputes affecting material lead-times. The estimates also gave the owner a tool to address change orders and manage funding requirements.
The expanded support that Hill’s staff provided after selection of CM-at-Risk included: constructability reviews, CM-at-Risk cost reviews, systems selection, value engineering, schedule delay and budget analysis, and quantity and price reviews. Further support was provided in construction meeting attendance, change order and payment application reviews, evaluation of RFIs, specification reviews, site visits, and general QC/QA and inspections. In addition, Hill was retained to review claims for adjustment at close-out caused by the accelerated project schedule and resulting design delays and overlap of trades.
Hill also provided an independent constructability review that included more than 700 comments, which contributed to a 40% reduction in RFIs, reducing project costs and limiting schedule delays during construction. In particular, Hill’s comments halted a concrete pour that would have delayed the project schedule and increased project costs.
