Hidden Risks Behind Today’s Stadium Construction Boom
July 20, 2026 —
Thomas Strong, Andrew Canning & Marc Gnesin - Construction ExecutiveAfter a decade-plus lull, professional sports leagues, universities and municipalities are once again spending heavily on new
stadiums and major renovations. In the NFL alone, multiple marquee projects are underway or planned, representing more than $10 billion in facilities and mixed-use entertainment districts, rivaling or exceeding the scale of development during the last stadium-build cycle of the early 2000s.
Beneath the excitement of architectural ambition and civic pride lies a risk landscape that has fundamentally changed since the last wave of stadium construction. Teams, cities and contractors that rely on outdated assumptions may find themselves exposed to cost overruns, schedule delays and liabilities that are far more difficult to unwind once construction is underway.
Reprinted courtesy of
Construction Executive, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. All rights reserved.
Read the full story...
Connecticut Expands Construction Wage-Theft Liability and Prevailing Wage Recordkeeping Requirements
June 29, 2026 —
Anand Gupta & Guest Contributor - Construction Law ZoneThis post was co-authored by Labor + Employment group lawyer Christopher Costain, Hayden Eckblom (Summer Intern), and Pasqualina Fox-Mina (Summer Associate). Hayden and Pasqualina are not admitted to practice law.
On May 11, 2026, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed into law Public Act 26-12, a wide-ranging bill centered around employee rights. Our colleagues in Robinson+Cole’s Labor, Employment, Benefits + Immigration group recently published a
legal update summarizing the key components of Public Act 26-12. Here, we focus on the Wage Theft and Prevailing Wage concepts in the bill that directly relate to the construction industry.
Wage Theft
With exceptions for public works and small residential projects, general contractors will be jointly and severally liable for any unpaid wages owed to an employee of a subcontractor of any tier on private construction projects, beginning with contracts entered into on or after January 1, 2027. As we know, there is a separate regime for public works projects involving payment bonds.
Read the full story...Reprinted courtesy of
Anand Gupta, Robinson & Cole LLPMr. Gupta may be contacted at
agupta@rc.com
Fight for Your Right: Effects of FAR Final Rule on Construction
October 12, 2026 —
Michael Altman - Construction ExecutiveSince the Federal Acquisition Regulation final rule Use of Project Labor Agreements for Federal Construction Projects took effect, contractors seeking to compete for federal projects of $35 million or more must “negotiate or become a party to a project labor agreement with one or more labor organizations.” While this requirement significantly reduces competition for covered procurements, contractors may seek to restore competition on individual solicitations by filing a bid protest with the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.
Bid protests through the COFC become possible once a federal agency posts a solicitation that includes contract provisions mandating a PLA. (In some cases, a presolicitation notice that a PLA mandate will be applied may be sufficient.)
Reprinted courtesy of
Michael Altman, Construction Executive, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. All rights reserved.
Read the full story...Mr. Altman may be contacted at
altman@abc.org
Idaho Contractor Registration: Lessons from the Ward v. Bishop Decision
April 20, 2026 —
Tara Martens Miller - Snell & WilmerThe Idaho Supreme Court’s recent decision in Ward v. Bishop Constr., Ltd. Liab. Co., No. 51118, 2025 Ida. LEXIS 143 (Dec. 31, 2025) offers valuable guidance for contractors and construction attorneys navigating the Idaho Contractor Registration Act (ICRA). The December 2025 ruling clarifies critical questions about when and how defendants may raise contractor registration defenses, the weight of pretrial stipulations, and the consequences of procedural missteps in construction litigation. This article examines the key takeaways from the decision and offers practical actions for consideration by those working in Idaho’s construction industry.
The Facts Behind the Dispute
The case arose from a long-standing working relationship between cousins Joel Ward and Ren Bishop dating to the 1990s. Ward performed general construction work for Bishop Construction, LLC, including building, plumbing, electrical, framing, roofing, and siding work on projects in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Bishop agreed to pay Ward $10 per hour, later increased to $12 per hour, plus one-way travel expenses. Between 2017 and 2019, Ward worked over 1,100 hours but was never paid, totaling $12,443.54 in claimed damages.
Read the full story...Reprinted courtesy of
Tara Martens Miller, Snell & WilmerMs. Miller may be contacted at
tmmiller@swlaw.com
2026 Top Business Risks for Construction and Engineering Companies
May 26, 2026 —
Darren Tasker - Construction ExecutiveThe 2026 Allianz Risk Barometer revealed some surprising findings for construction and engineering businesses. Now in its fifteenth year, this
annual business risk ranking by corporate insurer
Allianz Commercial incorporates the views of 3,338 global risk management professionals on the main perils on their radar for the year.
Survey respondents included construction and engineering risk experts who identified the threats keeping them up at night. Here is how they ranked the top industry risks for 2026:
Natural Catastrophes
Natural catastrophe risk retains the top spot, with 38% of construction and engineering respondents citing this risk as their leading concern for 2026. From the insurance perspective, economic and insured losses remained high, albeit lower than the 10-year average. The evolving nature of natural catastrophes continues to pose significant challenges to businesses and the (re)insurance industry. Insured losses from natural catastrophes are set to reach $107 billion for 2025, according to Swiss Re—the sixth year in a row they have exceeded $100 billion, while economic losses are well in excess of $200 billion.
Reprinted courtesy of
Darren Tasker, Construction Executive, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. All rights reserved.
Read the full story...
Data Center Construction: Contractors Must Step Up
May 26, 2026 —
Aarni Heiskanen - AEC BusinessI attended the
Datacenter Forum 2026 in Helsinki last week. Over 400 people packed the room. Walking out, I had one overriding thought: Is construction operating in a different century from the technology it is being asked to house?
Is Our Industry on Par?
Ciarán Forde, Senior Vice President at CTS Nordics, opened the forum with a statement that set the tone for everything that followed: data centers are no longer just a technical challenge; they are a national strategy. Before AI, Ciarán had worked in telecoms, where data centers were already complex. But now, he said flatly, everything has changed, and the industry must rethink everything.
The numbers behind the claim are staggering. Current AI data center racks run at 40 to 100 kW. In three years, 800 kW per rack is on the roadmap. And the development cycle for a new chip is roughly one year, which means deployments begin aging out almost as soon as they are commissioned.
Read the full story...Reprinted courtesy of
Aarni Heiskanen, AEC BusinessMr. Heiskanen may be contacted at
aec-business@aepartners.fi
2026 Colorado Super Lawyers Recognizes 11 Snell & Wilmer Attorneys
May 05, 2026 —
Snell & WilmerDENVER – Snell & Wilmer is pleased to announce that eleven attorneys in its Denver office have been selected for inclusion in the 2026 Colorado Super Lawyers publication. Of those eleven, four were recognized as Rising Stars.
Super Lawyers is a listing of lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The selection process is multi-phased and includes independent research, peer nominations, and peer evaluations. The final published list represents no more than 5 percent of the lawyers in the state.
Read the full story...Reprinted courtesy of
Snell & Wilmer
Real Estate & Construction News Roundup (8/5/26) – Data Centers Reshape Hotel Demand, AI Changes Construction Workflows and Global Tariffs Raise CRE Construction Costs
August 16, 2026 —
Pillsbury's Construction & Real Estate Law Team - Gravel2Gavel Construction & Real Estate Law BlogIn our latest roundup, AI creates new real estate play for VCs, Wall Street sells more rental homes, builders capitalize on flood of water projects and more!
Special Counsel Lorelie (Lorie) Masters Appointed Chair of the ABA’s Commission on Women in the ProfessionNew Home for the Aged Suffers Construction DefectsWhere There’s Smoke, Is There Coverage? A Closer Look at Bottega, LLC v. National Surety and Gharibian v. WawanesaDecision from Hawaii Supreme Court Amplifies Reasoning for its Prior Order in Maui Fire CasesArizona Rooftop Safety: Is it Adequate or Substandard?Accounting for Payments on Projects Became Even More Crucial This YearSarah P. Long Expands Insurance Coverage Team at Payne & FearsMGM Seeks to Demolish Harmon TowersOregon agreement to procure insurance, anti-indemnity statute, and self-insured retentionFlorida Courts Inundated by Wave of New Lawsuits as Sweeping Tort Reform Appears ImminentGRSM Trial Team Holds Alameda County Asbestos Verdict to $900,000 Against $50 Million DemandMassachusetts Roofer Killed in Nine-story FallEnvironmental Roundup – April 2019Colorado “occurrence”Dispute between City and Construction Company Over Unsightly ArchesNYC Building Explosion Kills Two After Neighbor Reports Gas LeakCongratulations to Haight Attorneys Selected for the 2024 Edition of Best Lawyers and Best Lawyers: Ones to WatchDid Deutsche Make a Deal with the Wrong Homeowner?Extreme Heat, Smoke Should Get US Disaster Label, Groups SayCoverage, Bad Faith Upheld In Construction Defect CaseSchool Blown Down by Wind Still Set to Open on ScheduleEleventh Circuit Holds that EPA Superfund Remedial Actions are Usually Entitled to the FTCA “Discretionary Function” ExemptionThe Anatomy of a Construction Dispute Stage 2- Increase the HeatThe Best Laid Plans: Contingency in a Construction ContractCongratulations to our 2019 Southern California Super Lawyers Rising StarsAppellate Team Secures Victory in North Carolina Governmental Immunity Personal Injury MatterFHFA’s Watt Says Debt Cuts Possible for Underwater HomeownersA Downside of Associational Standing - HOA's Claims Against Subcontractors Barred by Statute of LimitationsN.J. Voters Approve $116 Million in School ConstructionPhiladelphia Proposed Best Value Procurement BillContract Not So Clear in South Carolina Construction Defect CaseRevisiting Termination For Convenience Clauses In Uncertain And Ever-Changing Economic TimesLatosha Ellis Joins The National Black Lawyers Top 40 Under 40John O’Meara is Selected as America’s Top 100 Civil Defense LitigatorsDoD Will Require New Cybersecurity Standards in 2020: Could Other Agencies Be Next?2011 West Coast Casualty Construction Defect Seminar – RecapIdaho Business Review Names VF Law Attorney Brittaney Bones Women of the Year Honoree Backpacks, Broadway, and Building Restrictions: A Legal ReminderHome Sales Going to Investors in Daytona Beach AreaAmerica’s Factories Weren’t Built to Endure This Many HurricanesUnjust Enrichment Claims When There Is No Binding ContractTraub Lieberman Partner Lisa M. Rolle Obtains Pre-Answer Motion to Dismiss in Favor of DefendantMeet the Forum's In-House Counsel: J. PAUL ALLENNew Safety Standards Issued by ASSE and ANSIWhen Is Mandatory Arbitration Not Mandatory?Newmeyer & Dillion Attorney Casey Quinn Selected to the 2017 Mountain States Super Lawyers Rising Stars ListSafe and SaferA Homeowner’s Subsequent Action is Barred as a Matter of Law by way of a Prior “Right to Repair Act” Claim Resolved by Cash Settlement for Waiver of all Known or Unknown ClaimsFederal Judge Dismisses Insurance Coverage Lawsuit In Construction Defect CaseIllinois Supreme Court Announces Time Standards for Closing Out Cases/>
Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Holds that Nearly All Project Labor Agreements are IllegalExpert Excluded After Never Viewing Damaged PropertyUnderstanding Common Risk-Shifting Provisions in Construction ContractsCatch 22: “If You’re Moving Dirt, You Need to Control Your Dust” (But Don’t Use Potable Water!)New Recommendations for Healthy and Safe Housing ConditionsSnell & Wilmer’s San Diego Office Recognized as One of the “Best Places to Work” by the San Diego Business JournalWhy Construction Law- An UpdateInsurer Fails to Establish Prejudice Due to Late NoticeNo Coverage for Hurricane Sandy DamageMetrostudy Shows New Subdivisions in Midwest 
