The Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents on Friday voted to move forward with legal proceedings against the company that provided renovation designs to the University of Nevada, Reno’s Mackay Stadium. 

Worth Group Architects worked with the university in 2015 to renovate Mackay Stadium, but were called back in 2017 to provide additional updates to the structure after UNR officials discovered that the changes made in 2015 did not comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Issues with the stadium included ADA seating that did not have a clear view of the field, according to a report by the Reno Gazette Journal. 

However, the second round of renovations still did not bring the stadium up to the required accessibility standards. The issue was discovered by Environmental Management Group in June 2018 and later confirmed by architect Ed Roether. 

Roether, after his review of the designs provided by the company in 2015 and 2017, “concluded that a reasonable basis exists for filing action against Worth Group,” according to briefing documents provided in relation to the regents’ meeting agenda item. Worth Group refused UNR’s demand for the company to pay for the damages and renovations needed to bring the stadium to compliance. 

NSHE Chief General Counsel Joe Reynolds and UNR General Counsel Mary Dugan obtained authorization during the meeting to begin litigation against Worth Group. 

During public comment, Joseph Ariscotta, a UNR alumni, had a challenge for the regents, along with the architect and construction company tasked with making the changes. He requested that the individuals try to navigate the stadium in a wheelchair themselves after the changes are made.

“You've allocated $8 million for two buildings down in Las Vegas. You're up to $16 million for Mackay Stadium,” he said. “The least you could do is show the respect to people with disabilities to confirm that it is fully wheelchair accessible for a positive game-day experience.”