WSR Gridiron Report

They are putting in grass back in this year and will have turf for the following year.

I thought they grew the grass out at the Ag farm and brought in rolls of sod to replace the old/damaged sod. Can't see them seeding the field.

My son camped yesterday. Coach Rod said they are putting in grass. I asked about the Ag Dept being involved and he said there is a group within the facilities dept that handles the field. Don't recall any word on seeding or use of sod.

Bermuda Tiff Hybrid sod will take very quickly. Resodding is very common at this time of year in Tucson and much of the southwest on golf courses as sometimes some grass is lost as the transition is made from rye grass overseeing from the fall/winter golf season.

They will sod the field and it will be ready for playing.

As reported earlier, the south end zone is adding 500 seats, many of them accommodating handicap/wheelchair fans displaced from the north end zone.

Replacing the turf is not a difficult thing to do, and the rectangular surface of a football field makes it pretty easy.

I've seen the shots of the south endzone when the camera pans to that area of the stadium. I think its great that they're upgrading that area as well. On a side note, does anyone know how many net seats are going to be added once the north endzone project is completed and does anyone know what the new capacity of Arizona stadium will be?

Thanks!

Ben, the answer is that when all is said and done, capacity will be about the same as before.

The NEZ expansion will have about 5000 seat, which is about what the bleachers had.

They are adding the 500 seats in the south end zone.

When I questioned the ticket managers and the assistant AD for facilities, they all said that overall attendance would be about the same.

We have had over 58k in attendance a few times, and we may push 53 this year.

Next year, when the NEZ is utilized, we may push 59k because of the additional loge seating, but that is only a guess. No one has given out any exact figures, but the bottom line from all sources I've talked with at the U of A suggest very little net gain from this project.

The sod is going in!!!!!

I'm as excited and supportive of the new add-on and the facilities it brings with it as anyone. However, let's try to keep this construction in perspective. Stanford demolished an entire stadium and reconstructed a fully operational, state-of-the-art facility on the exact same site within a single off season. Arizona's facility won't be fully operational until another year from now.

True. I haven't been to Stanford's facility but wasn't it in a canyon anyway which made it easier to reduce the size and build in?

In addition, did they build a substantial structure with offices, training facilities, cafeteria, loge seating, etc., etc? I dont know.

Building the whole thing out in eight months might be expecting too much, but if Tate is around, as an engineer, he might be able to enlighten us on the feasibility.

They worked double shifts for 42 weeks. Pretty impressive.

these guys have been busting their butts. i don't see how they could go any faster. stanfords stadium is like an erector set and nothing special, besides being filled with brie eating commies!!!!!

They are behind their own schedule and the work is going slow. The manpower on site at any one time was quite low. Anyway, the field will be ready and that is the most important issue!

I looked at their schedule and the work to be performed and the forming crews with their progress and unless something has changed, they appeared to be behind schedule. This is my business so I have a reasonable ability to look at the work and make a judgement. As on any project, there is always something that may not be apparent to an observer.

I posted on this before and asked if the schedule had been changed but I don't think anyone knew then.

But again, the field is the priority and it will make it!