IU removes turf from Memorial Stadium

It’s almost all gone. \nWith exception to the red IU logo at mid-field, every inch of AstroPlay turf on which the Cream and Crimson were last seen hoisting the Old Oaken Bucket has been removed from the field at Memorial Stadium in the wake of flood damage two weeks ago.\nAlthough no report has surfaced about when new turf will be installed, IU began the process early Thursday to remove the turf.\nIU Director of Athletics Rick Greenspan had estimated that the total cost to replace the field might be up to $1 million after a two-foot deep, 15-foot wide sink hole developed in the south endzone after the flash flooding. Specific information regarding to the reconstruction of the field will be available early this week, Director of Media Relations J.D. Campbell said.\nDumpsters, BackHoe-loaders and large pieces of rolled turf littered Memorial Stadium at the time of the turf removal mid-day Thursday.\nThe AstroPlay turf field at Memorial Stadium is made of polyethylene and was installed in 2003 by SRI Sports of Austin, Texas. The installation cost IU around $450,000.\n“We’re anticipating the best in terms of having the field ready for everything in the future,” Director of Media Relations J.D. Campbell said last week, “Our expectation is we’ll be able to move forward the best we can.”