Synthetic field cost?

FormerFreddie · Post by **FormerFreddie** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 9:12 am

Anybody have an idea what the cost of replacing the natural grass at Perry Stadium with some sort of synthetic grass (Field Turf, Astro-Play, etc.) would run?

I want to say that I read once it's in the ballpark of $100-150K. High schools can afford it on their fields, so I'm doubting that it's REALLY expensive.

Any help would be appreciated.

Flipper · Post by **Flipper** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 9:18 am

150k?...no, it's closer to $500-600,000. OSU says it will run them about $600,000 to make the change this year.

hammb · Post by **hammb** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 9:27 am

The up front cost is high, but the reason HS's can afford it, and you can always justify the cost, is that it pays for itself pretty quickly. You can cut back on labor costs of seeding, fertilizing, mowing, etc. You don't have any material costs for the aforementioned maintenance either.

It's virtually maintenance free, so you cut a lot of costs and it probably pays for itself in a few years.

It's not a money issue. It's a philosophical issue. Football should not be played on plastic, period.

redskins4ever · Post by **redskins4ever** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 9:34 am

Actually the cost is closer to $1 million as New England just had their field installed.

And for any steeler fans... get yourselves some artificial turf... you have painted dirt to play on...

BGfootballfan · Post by **BGfootballfan** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 10:16 am

I have a friend that teaches and coaches at a school that had it installed. The cost was 800,000. They have football, lacrosse, soccer, and countless tourneys on field with no maintenance.

This stuff would be nice, but we play 4-5 home games a year.....keep the grass. We do not play multiple sports or have high school tourneys at the Doyt, so there is no need for the tire/plastic field to come to BG.

It's the Journey... · Mon Dec 04, 2006 10:29 am

BGfootballfan wrote:I have a friend that teaches and coaches at a school that had it installed. The cost was 800,000. They have football, lacrosse, soccer, and countless tourneys on field with no maintenance.

This stuff would be nice, but we play 4-5 home games a year.....keep the grass. We do not play multiple sports or have high school tourneys at the Doyt, so there is no need for the tire/plastic field to come to BG.

We do only play 4-5 home football games NOW. But the AD has said he wants to see us with 6 season in and season out in the near future. Lets do it. Lets improve our facilities and get the high school playoff games not just in football, but in lacross and soccer as well. Lets hopt a high school lacross and soccer tournament. Lets go and grab the BOA regional from Eastern Michigan. There are SO many opportunities out there. Lets use fieldturf as a marketing tool to bring in some more money for both the department and university. Some complained about spending a million for lights but that was a great investment and gave us more flexibility in scheduling games. This will do the same because we can play games two and three times a day, for days in a row. That is just not possible with a natural grass surface. I hate to see grass go, but it is a necessary move. The potential revenue is incredible.

Warthog · Post by **Warthog** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 10:55 am

redskins4ever wrote:And for any steeler fans... get yourselves some artificial turf... you have painted dirt to play on...

And they hadn't had a home game in three weeks. Seems like they could have made that field look better. Now a short turn around as they are hosting the Browns on Thursday. All they need is a little rain and that field will be worse then the Doyt two weeks ago.

Flipper · Post by **Flipper** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 11:00 am

I'll bet the Steelers have a full time groundskeeper too...

Jacobs4Heisman · Post by **Jacobs4Heisman** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 11:09 am

Warthog wrote:
redskins4ever wrote:And for any steeler fans... get yourselves some artificial turf... you have painted dirt to play on...
And they hadn't had a home game in three weeks. Seems like they could have made that field look better. Now a short turn around as they are hosting the Browns on Thursday. All they need is a little rain and that field will be worse then the Doyt two weeks ago.

That field gets used more than a wetnap at an R. Kelly party. It's always been bad. At least its grass.

Redwingtom · Post by **Redwingtom** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 11:28 am

redskins4ever wrote:Actually the cost is closer to $1 million as New England just had their field installed.

And for any steeler fans... get yourselves some artificial turf... you have painted dirt to play on...

NE's was higher because they installed it in way less than half the normal time required. I am sure they paid a premium for that.

thewebboy · Post by **thewebboy** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 11:52 am

Down at the University of Cincinnati not only to they play several sports on their field turf, but they also hold several intramural games there. My brother has told me that it is also open it up to the students and says that there are several pickup games of touch football and ulitmate frisbee played there.

So, as for UC, Field Turf also benefits the common student as well.

If we were to get it, it could be used for way more than the six home football games we play each year.

akpfalcon · Post by **akpfalcon** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 12:38 pm

as a student who was being recruited to play college ball, i found a school that had field turf instead of grass a little more inviting. changing to field turf would not only be a good idea because of everything everyone has already said, but it would help with recruiting as well.

redskins4ever · Post by **redskins4ever** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 1:33 pm

Benefits also include additional HS playoff games which could be played at the university as opposed to a HS field which don't have full time groundskeepers.

Graduation which could be held at the Doyt and field damage would be minimal.

Practice could be played on that field year round, as BG's current practice fields aren't that hot to begin with.

The life of the field is expected to be 20 years... so even at a million dollars it costs 50,000/yr to have. A new turf field is what 150-200K every time one comes in, and that would be at least 7 times over the course of 20 years.... or 1.4MM. Looks like Turf is worth the investment.

Flipper · Post by **Flipper** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 1:39 pm

Holding some HS games on site might engender a little more local affection and a sense of affiliation with the University and the football program...

MACMAN · Post by **MACMAN** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 4:55 pm

Keep it real
Keep it natural
Keep to the spirit of the game
KEEP IT GRASS

Besides we need a new Ice rink first.