University of Oklahoma Athletics
Watch Live as Owen Field is Replaced
October 20, 2009 | Athletics
NORMAN, Okla. -- Since U2 was scheduled for Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, many have wondered about the Owen Field surface and its ability to survive such an event.
OU officials built into the contract the field replacement, which was covered in the financial negotiation with the concert promoter.
Below is a Q&A with Jeff Salmond, the athletics department's director of athletics fields. Salmond and his staff will be overseeing the transition to the new turf.
View Live Webcam of Owen Field Watch live as the new field goes in. Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player are required to view the feed. |
When does installation start and end?
We will start taking the field out this evening (Tuesday, Oct. 20) throughout the night. The field will be lightly tilled and laser-graded over the next two days. We will begin to lay sod Thursday evening (Oct. 22) and plan to be finished sodding late Friday or in the morning on Saturday.
What kind of grass is being installed?
The sod is the same as the current field, TifSport Bermudagrass, overseeded with some perennial ryegrass.
Which firm is providing the sod?
The sod is coming from Bent Oak Sod Farm in Foley, Alabama. They have supplied the sod for the last two Super Bowls, this year's Super Bowl, the sod that we played on for last year's Big 12 Championship game and the BCS National Championship game in Miami this past year. They provide all the sod for Land Shark Stadium for all of their change-outs from baseball to football game venues.
How is the sod getting to Norman?
The sod is coming by semi-truck from Foley, Alabama and will take approximately 30 semi-trucks to get it here. Each roll is individually shrink wrapped to keep moisture in the sod for its trip.
How many square feet of sod and how much weight?
80,000 square feet of sod is being shipped. Each roll weighs more than a ton. A semi can hold about 26 rolls, which will total about 780 rolls. So the total weight is about 800 tons of sod.
Who is doing the installation?
The sod is being installed by Green Acres Sod Farm. They install sod for the Kansas City Chiefs, and installed this specialized sod last year for the Big 12 Championship game.
What is happening to the old sod?
We are taking the old field out with two Koro Topmakers. These machines grid the field, pulverizing the material. The material is put on a conveyor belt and thrown into a one-ton dump truck. The approximately 500 tons of material coming off the will be hauled to Jimmie Austin Golf Course where the staff will will use it for construction products around the course.
