El Paso Stadiums to get new AstroTurf GameDay Grass

By Aaron Bracamontes / El Paso Times


Construction crews have begun the process of installing artificial turf on the football fields at Andress, Burges and Coronado high schools.

The construction is part of a three-year plan that includes new turf football fields for all El Paso Independent School District high schools.

Ken Owen, EPISD athletic director, said the turf will make the fields safer. "Our biggest issue was that the type of field at the beginning of the year was good quality, but by the end of football season it was rough," he said.

The usage of the field by football teams and marching bands caused grass to stop growing in some places and, along with weather damage, caused some sections to become dangerous.

Burges principal Ernie Watts said the progress is moving fast and looking promising. "They've got all of the old turf removed," he said. "Everybody is very anxious to get out there for football and soccer."

Rich Jordan, vice-president of sales and marketing for General Sports Venue, the company installing the turf, called AstroTurf GameDay grass, said that the fields are in the base construction stage. "That's basically a four week process," he said. "Then we will begin staging turf whch comes in 15 foot rolls." The staging process involves measuring out the lines before the turf, which already has white turf is is laid down, Jordan said. After that colored turf is added to make hash marks, mid-field logos and lines for soccer games. Rubber is installed to absorb shock and TurfAid is sprayed to proctect athletes from bacteria, Jordan said.

The fields are estimated to cost $750,000 and save approximately 81.5 million gallons of water per year as well as over $800,000 in maintenance, according to a press release.
"We expect them to last longer than 10 years," Owen said. "They should pay for themselves by the end of that cycle."

Owen said if the fields were damaged in the 10 years, they are protected by an 8 year warranty.
All three fields should be ready by Aug. 7 with the first game on Aug. 28 when host the Canutillo, who already has artifical turf in their stadium.