GE Johnson tops out Switchbacks FC Stadium

Last month, GE Johnson installed the final steel beam on the Switchbacks FC Stadium, located in downtown Colorado Springs. Per tradition, the beam was flanked by the American and Colorado state flags as well as the Switchbacks official flag and an evergreen tree.

The Switchbacks FC Stadium, which Perkins & Will designed, will be a 145,500-square-foot multiuse facility that can accommodate a variety of sporting and entertainment events, serving as the permanent home of the Colorado Springs Switchbacks Football Club soccer team.

Speakers at the topping out included Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers; Jim Johnson, CEO and president, GE Johnson; Ed Ragain, owner, Switchbacks; and Robert Carr, regional vice president, Weidner Apartments.

This is GE Johnson’s first topping out since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’ve been to a lot of groundbreakings, ribbon cuttings and topping out celebrations in my five years as mayor, but I think I’m going to remember this one the most,” said Suthers.

Guests were invited to stay in their cars and honk their horns to celebrate.

“The most memorable topping out ceremonies are those that people who will use the facility enjoy and are excited about, and today is one of the best examples of that,” said Johnson. “What a great journey it’s been so far, and I look forward to coming to the first game here, March of 2021, to celebrate with everybody in person.”

As for any other challenges, “Sports projects require an immense amount of team collaboration to solve daily challenges or order to meet aggressive schedules,” said Brian Tominov, GE Johnson project manager. “You can count on weather and site conditions changing daily, but opening day does not.”

GE Johnson broke ground on the stadium in December and the project is scheduled to be complete in spring 2021.

Published in the June 17-30, 2020, issue of CREJ.