Stadium set to undergo facelift

During the last two years, the IU football program has gone through its fair share of facelifts. First came the introduction of head coach Gerry DiNardo in January 2002, then the $3.5 million skybox renovations, followed by the Trent Green-sponsored locker room renovation and, finally, a donor-sponsored AstroPlay surface upgrade for Memorial Stadium. \nThe new turf consists of polyethylene fibers with a rubber in-fill on top of either a paved pad or foam pad. Despite the use of these inorganic materials, AstroPlay is very similar to grass in look and feel.\n"Playing on (AstroPlay) is nothing to get used to; it feels like you're on grass when you're playing on it," former Hoosier running back Brian Lewis said. "I've played at Illinois on the stuff, and it feels like you're on a normal grass field."\nThe contract for the new playing surface is $446,000, including a 10-year guarantee from the AstroPlay company. While construction costs will add to this already hefty bill, IU Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Terry Clapacs said the new turf eventually will pay for itself with lowered maintenance costs.\n"We found that the current grass surface was very expensive to maintain and in recent years it created poor playing conditions," Clapacs said in a press release. "Our estimations showed resodding the field would cost about $150,000 every three years and maintenance costs of a grass field were $75,000 per year. On a life cycle this new turf is much less expensive and it is a more reliable surface."\nAnother concern with a traditional grass field is the labor issues of repairing the field week after week. Football players were aware of the hardships inflicted upon the maintenance team after a game on a day with adverse weather conditions.\n"I think that comes down on the work crew," Lewis said. "If it rains, the team just tears the grass field up, and they have to fix the field up every week. With the artificial turf, it's more lenient on the work crew because they don't have to fix the field up every time." \nOn top of the lowered maintenance costs, many players benefit from the new turf surface as it is touted to cause fewer injuries. The Bloomington SportsPlex, 1700 W. Bloomfield Road, has used the material since the complex was built four years ago and employees there said they are happy with the results.\n"It's been proven that the potential injury ratio actually decreases when using this material," Chris Doran of the Bloomington SportsPlex said. "We are really pleased with it."\nAstroPlay is already in use by four other Big Ten programs and numerous professional teams, including the Buffalo Bills organization. It is considered to be one of the best turf surfaces because of its natural look, all-weather performance, added durability and safety. \nAlong with the maintenance and monetary benefits AstroPlay brings, it also gives the football team another practice field option.\n"In addition to having a state-of-the-art competition surface, this will allow us to have the ability to add another practice field into our rotation without damaging the gameday field," DiNardo said. "We are often practicing into the early evening and lighting has become an issue. Now we will have a lighted field to use for practice."\nMany within the IU organization said they feel this new facelift is perfect for the Hoosier football program.\n"We visited a number of schools and many schools are faced with the same space problems that we are faced with," special assistant to the athletic director and former IU head football coach Bill Mallory said. "I totally agree with Coach DiNardo on this decision and am very excited about the change. We will be able to put Memorial Stadium to good use."\nConstruction already has begun on the surface upgrade, and it is expected to be finished in time for the beginning of football practice in August.