The AstroTurf will be replaced either by natural grass or a synthetic alternative such as FieldTurf.

After a meeting with various interested parties on Monday, the governor met separately with Larry Price, chairman of the Stadium Authority, yesterday to discuss replacing the 3-year-old AstroTurf. The state's Aloha Stadium Authority currently operates the stadium.

The governor called it a "very good meeting."

"I think everybody is on track and willing to work together," Cayetano said.

Eddie Hayashi, Aloha Stadium manager, said he was not aware of the governor's decision and deferred all questions to Stadium Authority officials, who could not be reached for comment.

The NFL has been urging the state to replace the AstroTurf with either natural grass or an alternative, such as FieldTurf, as indicated in a 5-year, $22 million contract between the league and the state. The league wants the AstroTurf replaced because its players are concerned about injuries suffered while playing on it.

"I believe the turf needs to be replaced," Cayetano said. "I feel pretty good about our chances to have that new turf in the stadium before the first (high school football) game."

FieldTurf is an artificial grass product that uses layers of sand and rubber infill. Polyethylene fibers that simulate grass blades are woven into a backing. Recycled tires and sneakers partly comprise the rubber infill.

If FieldTurf is chosen, company CEO John Gilman has said the turf can be replaced in about two weeks, "if the weather is nice."

When negotiations started last year, Gilman said a carpet was cut to fit the field at Aloha Stadium. Those rolls are now sitting in a warehouse in Georgia.

The argument against replacing the AstroTurf is that its recent installment cost taypayers $2.4 million. The turf still has five years left on its warranty.

The estimated cost to install FieldTurf is $877,000, which does not include subsurface renovations, Gilman said. The NFL has said it would help pay for the new turf.

That figure, about $100,000 to150,000 less than what the company would normally charge, does include an RV Groomer, the machine that attaches to a small tractor or golf cart to clean the field.