Hybrid surface being installed at Heinz Field

Posted by Dan on May 1, 2003 @ 1:30 PM

Workers were installing a new playing surface yesterday at Heinz Field.

The new sod is a combination of natural Kentucky bluegrasses reinforced with polypropylene fibers that are sewn into the sod every three-fourths of an inch to make the surface more durable.

Since Heinz Field opened in August 2001, the all-grass playing surface had taken a pounding with games played by the Steelers, University of Pittsburgh Panthers and local high schools. The Steelers were forced to replace the chewed-up Heinz Field grass three times last year.

- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Categories: Sports

1 Comments

  • Dan G. Switzer, II's Gravatar
    Dan G. Switzer, II
    From Steelerslive.com:
    http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/spo...

    Workers at Heinz Field are expected to complete the resodding of the stadium's playing surface today when the last of the approximately 600 rolls of natural sod are set in place.

    A parade of flatbed trucks rolled up to the stadium over the past few days, delivering the 4-by-36-feet rolls of sod that were grown at Tuckahoe Farms in Hammonton, N.J.

    In June, the job on the 92,000-square-foot surface will resume when representatives of the D.D. Grassmasters landscaping firm arrive from The Netherlands and begin sewing tiny synthetic blades of grass -- about 1 inch apart -- into the sod.

    The result is expected to be the strongest base yet for the surface that had to be resodded five times since Heinz Field opened in August, 2001. The Grassmasters surface is designed to minimize the need for further resodding.

Comments for this entry have been disabled.