When the Dallas Mavericks were playing the Golden State Warriors in Game 4 of the NBA Western Conference Finals May 24, 2022, storms and heavy rain were moving through downtown Dallas. Millions of fans watched as the game came to a halt after a major roof leak over the playing floor caused rainwater to pour into American Airlines Center.
Dallas Mavericks’ owner Mark Cuban was seen angrily texting for help. The unfortunate event resulted in a long-anticipated roof system replacement for the arena. After an expedited bidding process, KPost Company, Dallas, was selected as the roofing contractor for the project.
“We were not the contractor servicing the arena’s 20-plus-year-old roof at the time of the water breach,” says Scott Bredehoeft, business development director for KPost Company. “We were the contractor selected to install the arena’s much-needed roof replacement. For KPost Company, being awarded the contract was the easy part; making it happen was the hard part.
“We knew that because of the unique circumstances of the project, our work would go beyond the technical aspect,” he continues. “It would be about clients, consultants and contractors’ brand management because of the public and disruptive leak issues the arena experienced during the playoff game. We understood the complexity and the enormous responsibility and knew we only had one chance to get it right.”
Initial assessment
Gary Nassibian, RRC, RRO, senior consultant and associate principal for architectural engineering firm Allana Buick & Bers Inc., Palto Alto, Calif., was hired as the project consultant. Nassibian performed a thorough inspection to evaluate the condition of the existing roof system, which included identifying areas of moisture intrusion and damaged roofing materials.
Based on the initial assessment, Allana Buick & Bers developed contractor qualifications and a detailed scope of work to meet the client’s expectations. Their assessment included the type of roof systems to be installed and material selection.
SOPREMA® roofing products were selected based on the building’s requirements, local climate conditions, longevity expectations, chemical-resistance properties and ability to conform to the uniquely shaped roof.
The arena’s urban location posed extreme logistical and safety challenges. One solution was partnering with 5 State Helicopters Inc., Royse City, Texas, to transport roofing materials and equipment on and off multiple roof areas on the arena.
“There were hours of pre-planning, including computerized time studies, safety procedures, mechanized equipment and a calculated hoisting plan that used helicopter lifting and precision staging of materials that resulted in a pickup and lift every 90 seconds for the bulk of materials,” says Steve Little, president and head coach of KPost Company. “This efficiency and planning in the setup stages allowed for focusing where it was needed most—on the roof system installation and details.”
Safety training sessions were held with Dallas police, arena personnel and KPost Company team members to coordinate helicopter operations. To eliminate vehicular and pedestrian traffic, the building’s perimeter was closed off during workdays.
“Because of the density of the area and work being performed during business hours, we needed exceptional safety and communication measures as well as approvals from the city,” Little says. “Using a helicopter to move materials resulted in a minimally invasive impact on the various office and multifamily properties surrounding the American Airlines Center and a more efficient method of getting materials to the rooftop.”
Once materials were unloaded, they were securely held in place by an anchor system installed by the KPost Company roofing crews.
Installation
Crew members used extreme care when removing the existing roofing materials to minimize disruption to American Airlines Center’s daily operations.
“This process was difficult because of the slope and height of the 390-foot dome roof,” Little says. “Materials were carefully bagged, bundled and removed by crane while our crew members were outfitted with Occupational Safety and Health Administration-required PPE. All waste was properly disposed of, adhering to local regulations and environmental requirements.”
Alanna Buick & Bers conducted regular inspections in addition to KPost Company quality control personnel daily site inspections.
Team members installed the following roof system over the existing concrete roof decks on the stadium’s four rooftop corners:
On the low-slope roof areas on the sides of the stadium, the team installed:
On the dome roof areas, the team installed:
One feature of American Airlines Center’s architecture that makes it such an icon is the intersecting barrel roof.
“The four steep intersecting vaulted valleys presented numerous mobilization and staging challenges, worsened by limited street access for hoisting,” Bredehoeft says. “These valley conditions also served as the primary roof drainage on all four sides that created large torrents of water that damaged the original roof in a short two years.
“These valley conditions were covered with concrete topping slabs to better protect these areas but also created additional reroofing challenges,” he continues. “A ply of robust polymer-modified bitumen was installed with a moisture-cured adhesive on the topping slab and completed with a fully reinforced PMMA liquid membrane cap to meet the demands of the building.”
“The intersecting barrels created a tremendous challenge in dealing with the runoff of rain during heavy storms that come through north Texas,” adds Adam Smith, district sales manager for SOPREMA. “Working alongside Allana Buick & Bers, KPost Company was able to present a long-term solution to resolve the needs of the facility’s roof.”
KPost Company craftsmen also fabricated and installed all sheet-metal flashings, copings and edge metal in the company’s sheet-metal shop. KPost Company is an authorized fabricator of ANSI/SPRI/FM-4435 ES-1-tested material through National ES Testing Service Inc.
“Special attention was given to critical areas like the valley of the dome, roof system penetrations, drains and edge details to ensure watertightness,” Bredehoeft says.
Quality assurance
After installing the roof systems, a final inspection was conducted by all involved parties to ensure the scope of work was completed to the highest standard.
“We are proud of our crew members who were able to complete this complex project that covered 200,000 square feet over an occupied, high-usage facility within the proposed 220-day timeframe, safely and successfully within budget,” Little says. “Our company provided a five-year workmanship warranty, and SOPREMA provided a 20-year warranty on the roof systems. We also provided a roof ‘umbrella’ program option, which provides a regular maintenance schedule to extend the roof’s life and ensure optimal performance.”
KPost Company’s understanding of the roofing materials and cooperation and partnerships with consultants, the building owner and other trades helped make for a successful arena project.
“With all the challenges the American Airlines Center reroofing project presented, it would not have been so successful of a project had it not been for KPost Company’s involvement,” Smith says.
Slam dunk
In March 2023, the KPost Company team completed work on American Airlines Center. Thanks to detailed pre-planning along with quality workmanship, the project was completed within the allowed timeframe while working around the venue’s ongoing sporting events and concert schedule.
“Our company’s expertise and efficiency in handling this unique roofing project demonstrate a commitment to quality and client satisfaction,” Little says. “Our team spent multiple weeks planning with personnel from American Airlines Center, Allana Buick & Bers and SOPREMA while coordinating with other trades and putting together safety measures to execute a seamless construction process installed safely with minimal disruptions. You would be hard-pressed to find a more successful project with only half the challenges.”
For its work on American Airlines Center, KPost Company received a 2024 NRCA Gold Circle Award in the Outstanding Workmanship: Low-slope category.
“Being honored with an NRCA Gold Circle Award for our work on American Airlines Center is a significant achievement and a well-deserved recognition for our team’s exceptional work and commitment to excellence,” Bredehoeft says. “We remain committed to delivering roofing solutions that stand the test of time while providing unmatched value to our clients. The management at American Airlines Center now can be confident their events no longer will be delayed because of intrusive water leaks from the roof!”
PROJECT NAME: American Airlines Center
PROJECT LOCATION: Dallas
PROJECT DURATION: June 20, 2022-March 1, 2023
ROOFING CONTRACTOR: KPost Company, Dallas
ROOF SYSTEM TYPE: Liquid-applied PMMA roof membrane and PVC
ROOFING MANUFACTURERS: National Gypsum Co.,® Charlotte, N.C.; SOPREMA,® Wadsworth, Ohio
CHRYSTINE ELLE HANUS is Professional Roofing’s associate editor and an NRCA director of communications.
COMMENTS
Be the first to comment. Please log in to leave a comment.