Construction crews work through extreme heat to get Acrisure Arena completed in time for season

Construction workers building the Acrisure Arena are feeling this extreme heat, as they face a tight deadline to get it all done.

The future home of the Coachella Valley Firebirds will soon be hosting games, concerts and much more. The arena will seat about 10,000 spectators. But, it couldn’t all be done without the countless hours of work from the construction crew.

More than 300 construction workers have been a part of this months-long effort.

Each day this summer, the sun has been beating down on the site. This, as the crew works through triple digit temperatures during this week's extreme heat wave. “We don't stay cool. But we try to deal with the heat,” said Bill Dieter, Project Manager with AECOM Hunt Construction.

With the deadline to get it completed fast approaching, Dieter told me News Channel 3 his crew is working around the clock to get it done. “We have some some teams that are coming in as early as 3 a.m. to try to get here when it's a little bit cooler," Dieter explained, "So we're working through the night, and it's not cool, but it's cooler.”

To try and limit direct sun exposure, he encourages staff to cover up. “We encourage the workers to wear long sleeve shirts and and pants obviously, and even cover their faces. Because it holds the moisture and when they sweat. You know it actually like I said, it's counterintuitive, but it keeps you cooler.”

They say they work to make sure crews stay hydrated throughout all the day. “We've got a program set up with our subcontractors to just make sure that everybody is staying hydrated, they get electrolytes, we hand out like little electrolyte packets that they can put into their water.”

Dieter said it all comes down to communication, and making sure his workers take the time to cool off when they can. “Shade structures, those tent style structures that we have erected and paying attention to them, making sure that they are okay," Dieter explained, “We talk to them and make sure that if they need a break, or they need to go sit down or get into the shade, or even take them into the office where it's cooler and air conditioned we do that.”

The arena is expected to be completed in the coming months. The firebirds will kick off their season next month on October 16th.

The first home game at the arena will take place on December 18th.

Stay with News Channel 3 for all of your Coachella Valley Firebirds coverage.