WATCH ABOVE: David LeMay held a press conference Friday.
WINNIPEG – David LeMay, president and CEO of Stuart Olson, says his firm is proud of the work they do, including at the trouble-plagued Investors Group Field, home of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
“We build to the design that was ordered,” LeMay told media at a news conference Friday morning.
Stuart Olson alerted the stadium owners to problems such as cracking concrete but did what they were hired to do, he said.
“We’re proud of our record as a company,” he said. “We’re proud of our work at Investors Group Field.”
WATCH ABOVE: IGF concrete was tested, approved by owner’s representative: LeMay
Investors Group Field, which will host the 2015 Grey Cup, has been plagued by problems since it opened in 2013, including leaks in the roof, insufficient insulation to keep plumbing from freezing in winter and poor drainage. It needed immediate renovations to make it usable for concerts – which were part of the business plan for the facility – and its press box was originally unheated, which would have made it unusable for the long-planned Grey Cup. LeMay said Friday that those problems are not the fault of his company.
READ MORE: Bombers stadium owners’ lawsuit alleges poor design, construction
Triple B Stadium, the field’s owner, is suing Stuart Olson over the defects. The board of Triple B includes representatives from the provincial and city governments, the University of Manitoba and the Winnipeg Football Club, owner of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
A statement of defence filed by Stuart Olson on Thursday states Triple B and the provincial government caused the problems by approving a faulty design and rushing construction of the stadium.
READ MORE: Construction firm fires back in Winnipeg stadium legal battle
The competing claims have prompted the provincial Opposition Progressive Conservatives to call again for an independent audit of the project.
“Something went wrong here,” said Tuxedo MLA Heather Stefanson.
Manitobans should know what happened through the course of the project, she said.
“Answers are not forthcoming from this government about what has transpired here,” she said.
The premier attempted to deflect questions relating to the accusations made by the stadium’s builder when pressed by reporters Friday.
“There is a lawsuit before the courts and we don’t comment on lawsuits,” said Greg Slinger.
Stuart Olson’s statement of defence claims the timeline for the stadium construction was “shorter than that applied to most comparable projects” and that was because of “political and financial requirements” of the province of Manitoba.
“We always encouraged that they get on with a new facility because of the reports that showed the old facility was in very poor condition and had safety risks attached to it,” said Selinger when asked if the province had any influence over the timeline of the facility being built.
The premier wasn’t opposed to the idea of calling for an independent audit however he said he wouldn’t be asking for one.
“We will get on the businesses of governing and we will let other people make those requests if they wish to do it,” said Selinger.
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