They can't use the 2018/2019 turf, it's getting thoroughly destroyed by the construction equipment that sits on top of it. As Youshou says, the turf almost certainly has been paid for, and if there really is a 6-month lead time I'd have to imagine they'd hold off until 2021 to make it happen.
I don’t think the cost is the first issue. Merritt was willing to replace this turf after one year. Grass at PDX will entail in ground heating, a grow light system, and hybrid grass. Think Wembley or Camp Nou. Merritt went for the best with Turf, he’ll go with the best for grass. That will take a few months, but it could be by 2020. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/GrassMaster
Hope this does mean grass indeed. Be it 2021 or whenever. NE, Sea, Van, ATL all that is left of turf, yes?
For the "permanent" stadiums, correct. And I don't see any of those being changed to grass any time soon. Portland was the only one left that could be "easily" transitioned to grass due to the football team being the secondary tenant and, honestly, shouldn't have been at PP anyways. Now that they've been moved out, the football issue has been eliminated.
You would think that Krafft would want his team (Pats, he doesn't care about the Rev's) play on a grass surface, it is after all it's a safer surface (so people say).
From what I understand, Gillette originally had a grass field, but after one game where the field condition was horrible, Kraft ripped it out and put in turf.
Thought turf was also supposed to deliver the Patriots one of those niggly competitive advantages, like deflated footballs and such.
That’s one of the theories, but then there is also growing evidence that teams with turf also have the most injuries. I saw one article last uear that ranked the injury rates of teams and all the teams that played on turf were at the bottom and most of the teams that played on grass were at the top.
They did have grass at Gillete when it first opened and even had an undersoil heating system to keep it from freezing. But the problem is that the stadium was built with the upper deck too high and it was set up in the wrong direction for optimal sunlight on the grass. So it didn't grow all that well and with the normal use of the NFL plus soccer and weather conditions, it didn't wear very well. Then there was a game in the rain when Brady threw a pass to the flats and the receiver slipped, making for an easy pick and a touchdown. Word on the street was that it was the straw that broke the camel's back, and the decision was made to rip out the grass in favor of turf in a few weeks when the Pats had a bye week and an away game after that. Unfortunately, the Revs (who?) had a home playoff game a couple of days after they put in the turf field. That'll teach those 160-pound soccer players from trampling the field and ruining it for football!
American football is hard on grass. If it's just the 8 home games then that's fine but add in 17 soccer games and possible college or high school football playoff and championship games and that is no Bueno. I remember a Steelers MNF game after several high school playoff games on Friday, a Pitt game on Saturday and rain for most of the weekend the surface was unplayable. The ball hit the ground after a punt and a buried about an inch down.
Get yourself to the stadium cam. Seats are being installed! https://www.senserasystems.com/public/TurnerConstructionPortlandJob3/M78937526587 May start seeing "SCUSA" soon.
You'll have to wait until they start installing the middle sections, that's were the letters "SCUSA" will be installed.
https://www.senserasystems.com/public/TurnerConstructionPortlandJob3/M78937526587 Go here and then click "time lapse". It's frickin' awesome! Once the concrete starts going up you can really get a sense for just how large a project it is!
I believe Brady had an injury scare on a muddy field at Gillette & that is why they switched to turf. Still, good news for Portland. Soccer on turf (no tackles) just isn't real soccer. No matter the lipstick great players like Valeri, Dempsey, and Almiron put on that pig.
I don't know. I also don't know why they removed the 4th level, just that it was in the original drawings they released to the public, and removed shortly thereafter.
82 days. #RCTID #BAONPDX pic.twitter.com/VeypLrJjYS— Providence Park PDX (@ProvidencePark_) March 11, 2019