STEPHENVILLE – The Tarleton Memorial Stadium Renovation is officially under way as construction has started removing the old artificial turf, which was installed in 2004, and will begin laying down the new CoolPlay by FieldTurf.
CoolPlay is an exclusive system to FieldTurf and is designed to keep the playing surface up to 35-degrees cooler. According to FieldTurf, the CoolPlay system has a top dressing of Extruded Composite (EC) that allows the turf to deliver the same behavior and stability as any other surface while keeping the temperature on the field lower. Similar CoolPlay fields can be found at the University of Nebraska, the University of Arizona, Notre Dame, and many more.
At Memorial Stadium, all elements of the turf are currently undergoing replacement and is expected to be ready for play as early as July 15, 2017. The field will be a traditional green with white playing lines and white numerals every 10 yards with purple shading. The end zones will be purple with ‘TARLETON’ inscribed. The university logo of the Block T over the state of Texas will be displayed at midfield.
The new turf is the first physical procedure in the Memorial Stadium Renovation project. The next phase of construction is scheduled to begin in September with the creation of a new grandstand, suites, and press box on the west side of the facility.
ABOUT THE PROJECT
On September 10, 2015, Tarleton State University President Dr. F. Dominic Dottavio and Athletic Director Lonn Reisman announced that the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents authorized $24 million to begin planning, designing and financing the project. Initial plans include expansion of seating and conversion of the west-side stands to seating for home fans. Huckabee and Heery Sports were selected to provide architectural and engineering services for the renovation and expansion of Tarleton State University’s Memorial Stadium. In addition to the approved amount, the project has also received private gifts including a $2.4 million donation from Tarleton Hall of Fame member, Mike A. Myers.
ABOUT THE 2017 SEASON
No football games will be affected by the construction and are scheduled to be played at Memorial Stadium during the 2017 season. Tarleton State University and Stephenville High School will be competing at Memorial Stadium in Stephenville. The east-side bleachers, which currently holds the home fans, will remain intact throughout the renovation. The west-side bleachers, which is currently for visitors, will be removed for construction purposes beginning in September 2017. Temporary bleachers will be brought in as needed for games in the 2017 year.
VISIT THE MEMORIAL STADIUM RENOVATION WEBSITE
For more information about Memorial Stadium, the renovation project, and ways to give, visit the brand-new website dedicated to the project at www.TarletonFootballRenovation.com.
Be the first to comment