How is Synthetic Turf Installed?
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Use of artificial grass in athletic fields isn’t new. It was introduced to Major League Baseball, and the sporting world as a whole, at the Houston Astrodome in 1966. However many fields have been slow to make the transition to synthetic turf, with many having done so well into the 2000s.
Here is a list of stadiums across the U.S. from different leagues, and the years that they had their turf installed.
- AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX; 2009)- Formerly Cowboys Stadium until July 2013, it was announced in December of 2008 that they would be installing turf.
- Chase Field (Downtown Phoenix, AZ; 2019)- Originally named Bank One Ballpark, the change was announced in 2018. After renovations allowed for their roof to stay closed during the summer months to keep the stadium cool, overheating of synthetic turf was no longer a concern. The change was made due to their struggling with growing grass in that climate, as well as for player safety.
- Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, MA; 2006)- Management decided to upgrade from natural grass to turf following heavy November rain, which damaged the field. Normally the NFL would require this work to be done off-season, but the ground was in such awful condition that they made an exception. It was upgraded in February 2010, and again in April 2014.
- Globe Life Field (Arlington, TX; 2020)- The stadium itself was built in 2020 with artificial turf installed upon initial construction. It is now one of five major league teams to play its home games on artificial grass.
- Marlins Park (Miami, FL; 2020)- In December of 2019 the decision was made to change from real grass to turf. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic bringing the sporting world to a halt they were able to complete the work this past April.
- U.S. Bank Stadium (Minneaspolis, MN; 2016)- This field, built on the previous location of the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome has had artificial grass since the beginning. This allowed for inlaid logos on the field. It was first upgraded in 2018. In 2019 the field underwent a second artificial turf installation. This one had shock absorbing padding, something the previous lacked. The change was done with player safety in mind; the old turf was donated to make a playground.
Is your team ready to play with the best of them? Contact Keystone Sports Construction and we’ll give your athletic and sports fields, tracks, and arenas the long overdue upgrade they deserve. Our services include turf maintenance, repair, and replacement.
