Sarens, global leader in heavy lifting, and engineered transport, has already started its collaboration in the construction of the Madison Square Garden Sphere in Las Vegas. The arena is going to be one of the largest in the world, with a sitting capacity of more than 17,000 people and measuring 364 ft high and 515 ft wide.
Sarens has been selected by W&W Steel, supplier of the iron beams used, to carry out the lifting and placing of the pieces that will make the infrastructure possible, thanks to its experience in developing large-scale projects in a wide range of industries, such as the Hinckley Point nuclear power plant or the lifting of the SpinLaunch turbine, among many others. Sarens is currently working on the structure of the building and will remain on site until its completion in 2023.
To begin this project, Sarens transported all the necessary equipment from its headquarters in Belgium to Las Vegas, which took 30 days by ship to California. Once there, the cranes were transported on a 12-axle SPMT (self-propelled modular transport) trailer to Las Vegas. This trip took 10 days and covered in total more than 5,890 miles.
Sarens is using two different crane models for this job: CC 8800/1 with an additional 295ft boom and 275ft Luffing Jib, and a CC 6800/1 model with a 275ft boom and 236ft Luffing Jib. This selection was made based on the ability of the cranes to lift extremely heavy structures and make turns, as it was planned to be able to lift and place the beams from two opposite points.
Once in Las Vegas, the lifting began. Both cranes were in charge of lifting and placing the iron structures, already assembled on the ground, which make up the final dome. Because the cranes are positioned on both sides of the construction, it is possible to carry out continuous lifts, speeding up the construction work and increasing the precision of the placement.
This project represents an investment of $1.66b and once its finished it will be one of the world’s most important entertainment and cultural arenas, position it at the same level as New York’s Madison Square Garden.
Because of its experience and knowledge of the industry, Sarens has been able to take on this large project, facing challenges such as the great weight of the beams and the height to which these materials had to be lifted with great ease. Thanks to a complete team of engineers and experts in machinery with an extensive experience, it has been possible to take the first steps of this project safely.
According to Grant Mitchell, US project manager, “The heavy lifts performed by our cranes on this project are some of the most impressive to date”.
