FieldTurf willing to replace field in stages
By Catherine E. Toth
Advertiser Staff Writer
Representatives from the Hawai'i Tourism Authority and the NFL have worked out a deal with FieldTurf this week that might provide answers to questions raised by the Stadium Authority on changing the turf at Aloha Stadium.
FieldTurf is willing to replace just the stadium's football field with its synthetic grass-like turf, finishing the rest of the surface at the Halawa facility after the 2003 Pro Bowl next year. The stadium currently has an AstroTurf surface.
FieldTurf officials have guaranteed the football field surface will be ready by the start of the high school football season on Aug. 17. The job could be completed in the month of July.
It will cost more for FieldTurf to install the playing surface in two phases, but the additional cost will not be charged to the state, according to FieldTurf officials.
FieldTurf is still estimating the cost at $877,000, which now includes not only the installation and maintenance of the turf, but the preparation to the field prior to installation.
The Stadium Authority had estimated the cost to prepare the field, which includes shaving down the crown and raising the warning track, to be from $2 million to $4 million, as outlined in a letter from stadium manager Eddie Hayashi to Jim Steeg, NFL senior vice president of special events.
Mark Rolfing, who served as consultant to Gov. Ben Cayetano during meetings with the NFL, FieldTurf and the tourism authority in New York on Monday and Tuesday, said FieldTurf will not charge the state more than its estimated price.
The HTA approved up to $500,000 to replace the turf. The NFL has agreed to pick up the remaining costs or use its goodwill to help lower the price of the playing surface.
"It will cost FieldTurf more money to do this in stages, but they've agreed to do it," Rolfing said. "All parties (present at the meetings) have agreed to this as a viable option."
The meetings served two purposes: to find out what the options were, and to answer the FieldTurf questions posed by the Stadium Authority at its last meeting. The authority meets Thursday on whether to give the go-ahead to FieldTurf.
The tourism authority and NFL are pushing for FieldTurf, claiming it's more economically feasible than natural grass, which is what Stadium Authority chairman Larry Price prefers.
A spokesperson for the Stadium Authority said yesterday it would not have a comment until it sees the new proposal on Thursday.
"It's the best use of the state's money and (installing grass on a per-game basis) doesn't help anybody other than the NFL for one game," Rolfing said.
He added that replacing the turf isn't about a preference over AstroTurf.
"The reality is we have new technology now and I think that's why it makes sense to put the FieldTurf in," said Rolfing.
"The option was not there back in 1997. So it's not like we're saying someone made a bad deal then. We're saying now there's a better product for everyone involved than what's on the stadium floor now."
He said the goal of the state and the NFL is to provide a cost-effective option that "makes everyone comfortable" long-term.
"If Hawai'i wants to become the sports mecca of the Pacific, this fits in perfectly with that strategy," Rolfing said.
"You have to have a surface that's compatible to a lot of different activities. A new surface would be attractive to much more than just football."
