New turf in the Dome

[Newsbreaker]

Re: New turf in the Dome

Indoor nationals are contested on a 200m, banked track.

Thanks! Do they contest these in buildings that can hold more than 17,000?

[Ever Loyal]

Re: New turf in the Dome

Arkansas has hosted the event since 2000, and their facility holds just over 5,000 (they have sold it out every year they hosted).

Here is a link for more info:

http://www.hogwired.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=30851&SPID=2431&DB_OEM_ID=6100&ATCLID=187023

If anyone could wrestle the championship from Arkansas, it would be Buck.

[06panther10]

Re: New turf in the Dome

If a removeable track would work on top of a football field, I would think that would be a great way to go.

[Big_Al]

Re: New turf in the Dome

Field Turf is very different than Astro Turf. Astro Turf is basically glorified carpet whereas Field Turf tries to simulate real grass and dirt.

Remember that the UNI Dome is a multi-purpose facility. Unfortunately, FB doesn't bring in enough revenue that it can out-muscle some of those other purposes. Engineering a solution that would both accomodate both Field Turf and other uses, whether by a removable field or a removable floor over the field would likely cost several times what the UNI Dome itself cost to build. Not to mention set-up/breakdown costs would go up by an order of magnitude, as well.

That said, if the Chiefs or the Rams were to make Cedar Falls their training camp it probably would help push football needs to the front of the back and get Field Turf in the Dome.

FYI, my company is building the new activity center at William Penn University in Oskaloosa, which is getting a 1/2 size FieldTurf practice field. See this article for a picture of it being installed:

http://www.oskaloosaherald.com/local/local_story_098110209.html

[Mountain Panther]

Re: New turf in the Dome

How old is our current turf?

Installed in 1992.

[Trapped in California]

Re: New turf in the Dome

Installed in 1992.

A couple more years, and it will be older than the players...

[06panther10]

Re: New turf in the Dome

Big Al, I'm pretty sure it would cost less to have a removeable floor or turf than it would to build the UNIdome itself as you stated...

[Newsbreaker]

Re: New turf in the Dome

Agreed, I highly doubt a new solution would run 16 million dollars (32 if you count the new roof).

[in_the_stands]

Re: New turf in the Dome

If we assume a solution for track is available, why wouldn't plain old plywood sheets be good enough to protect a permanent FieldTurf installation for concerts, shows, etc.?

Wouldn't work in St. Louis because they have electrical outlets in the floors that are needed for big trade shows, but that's not the case with the UNI-Dome AFAIK.

[9YRPLAN]

Re: New turf in the Dome

are you sure the turf wasnt replaced around 1997? i thought i remember hearing that they brought in different (not brand new) turf around that time. if not, there are probably still chunks of my skin in there from the 1994 state playoffs.

doesnt wartburg have field turf? hell, even my rec league football team gets to play on it at Valley Stadium.

[in_the_stands]

Re: New turf in the Dome

Texas is getting FieldTurf for their baseball field next year. Be interesting to see if that catches on.

Seems like the big drivers for it are injury reduction and ease of maintenance (as well as cool factor). The Rams players were constantly complaining about their old turf, and it could be argued that Marshall Faulk's career was shortened by a couple of seasons.

But offhand, I don't recall that UNI has had a worse than average injury rate on our turf, and it's already pretty maintenance friendly.

[clenz]

Re: New turf in the Dome

I've seen a lot of baseball field with field turf. When I was down in Louisville 2 summers ago I got to go through their athletic complex and everything there was field turf. Their baseball entire fields, football stadium and practice fields, and a multi purposed field was too. They talked about their softball field getting it too. I know a lot of the summer league baseball fields in NY, OH, and in the south are field turfed too

[in_the_stands]

Re: New turf in the Dome

ISTR coach Heller say something about FieldTurf for Riverfront being on his wish list.

That's a very impressive new facility at Louisville, I didn't realize it was such a wealthy school:

http://uoflsports.cstv.com/facilities/lou-facilities-patterson-stadium.html

The mound and batters box are still dirt, everything else is turf. You'd think it could take a lot more rain than a natural field.

[clenz]

Re: New turf in the Dome

Louisville, as a whole, has by far the best athletic facilities I've ever seen. Louisville is a very very wealth city that supports the college extremly well. They also have very wealthy alumni

[06panther10]

Re: New turf in the Dome

I believe that Louisville has one of the few programs in the country for Athletic Administration as well, so athletic commitment is very high at Louisville. Back to the topic; I don't see a reason why a floor to put on top of the turf could not easily be developed. Like what was said before, many high schools have the new turf. I would think that we could figure out a way to make it work.