Dunwoody High School stadium project seeks new builder after vendor withdrawal

The DeKalb County Board of Education was to consider at its Oct. 5 meeting a second-ranked construction firm to build out Dunwoody High School’s stadium after the recommended provider backed out.

In a letter dated September 19, 2026, SmithBuilt VP of Operations Tanner Parker said that “proceeding with the current design would require confirmation of [in-kind] contributions, and additional funding, or substantial revisions to the scope.”

“We understand that the District and the Project Sponsor do not wish to pursue substantial revision to the permitted design,” the letter said. “Given these circumstances, we do not see a viable path to reach an agreement on the current scope within the available budget.”

The $1.5 million project involves adding about 2,000 seats, a ticket booth, restrooms, a concession stand, a press box, green space, and fencing, which would allow Dunwoody, for the first time, to hold varsity-level games on-site.

The project was 100 percent funded by donors contributing to the Bring it Home campaign. Upon completion, the district will receive it as a gift. Dunwoody High School alumni and American Idol host Ryan Seacrest provided a substantial sum for its construction, and the stadium will be named Seacrest Stadium after him and his family.

According to documents accompanying the agenda item, SmithBuilt told the district “that it did not see a viable path to reaching an agreement for the current Project scope within the available budget and had no objection to the DCSD concluding its pre-construction efforts with SmithBuilt and proceeding to the next highest ranked firm.”

The letter from SmithBuilt said it would not seek the payment of the $5,000 pre-construction fee included in the RFP response. In addition, the letter said the company “hopes our pricing plan review and scheduling efforts have provided useful information to support the project’s next steps.”

This request to be considered at the Oct. 5 meeting would authorize DCSD to contract with “BlueGold Construction Management LLC /Fortune-Johnson LLC to provide CM@Risk Services for the Dunwoody High School Stadium.”

The construction documents did not include a total price of construction, but did indicate on an evaluation form that SmithBuilt was the top-scoring vendor at 399, with BlueGold second at 374.

Rough Draft has reached out to the Bring It Home campaign organizers for comment.

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