Fieldturf CEO has If what some seem to think is a magic carpet is to appear on the Aloha Stadium floor by football season, it's going to take more than the click of a genie's fingers -- or even those of a governor.
deadline in mind
The company needs the go-ahead
by July 15 to meet the governor's
target date for installationBy Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comGov. Ben Cayetano has made it clear he wants the soft artificial surface called Fieldturf installed in time for the year's first games, a high school doubleheader scheduled for Aug. 23.
Fieldturf's CEO says that can be done, but he needs the go-ahead soon.
"I guess if we worked night and day we could start (with notification) as late as July 15," John Gilman said. "That would be with two crews. We've got some leeway now, but that's running out."
Gilman said it would take 10 days to two weeks to get the product here from his storage facility in Georgia, and then two weeks to install.
On Monday, Cayetano took the first step toward untangling a political Slinky involving, among others, the Stadium Authority, the Hawaii Tourism Authority and the NFL. As part of the HTA's contract with the NFL, the football league can dictate the playing surface for the Pro Bowl. The Stadium Authority didn't see it that way at all until Monday's two-hour meeting in the governor's chambers.
The parties left knowing Cayetano wants the NFL pleased. But while he is pushing for the new surface, the governor also said he doesn't want the Stadium Authority to necessarily roll over and die too easily on the issue -- if it does, the state could be vulnerable to lawsuits.
The $877,500 question -- that's the discounted price Gilman has quoted HTA -- is if all the paperwork and approvals can be completed in time for installation.
The HTA has a board meeting next Thursday, and the Stadium Authority confers on Friday (both are open to the public). Stadium Authority Chairman Larry Price said his group needs an official request for a change in the surface.
Another step might not be as simple -- that of dealing with the company that makes AstroTurf, the stadium's current surface. AstroTurf has been losing business to Fieldturf all over the country, and doesn't plan to go down here without a fight against a sole-bid for Fieldturf; the AstroTurf company makes a similar product to Fieldturf called AstroPlay.
Executive Vice President Jim Savoca fired back hard in response to claims that AstroTurf causes injuries.
"These negative comments are unsubstantiated and really a slap in the face to my product and the staff of Aloha Stadium," Savoca wrote in a letter to Cayetano this week. "You can count on me and all the resources of Southwest Recreational Industries and AstroTurf to combat these claims."
There have also been rumblings that Fieldturf enjoys an unfair advantage with the NFL in all its dealings. Gilman said that is sour grapes from a company that dominated the field for 30 years. He denied a rumor that he is getting NFL business in exchange for sponsoring the Pro Bowl.
"I've not had any discussion about sponsorship. What we are is the manufacturer of the safest artificial turf there is," Gilman said. "That's all we do. We're not a big company. Sponsorship of the Pro Bowl is way beyond my capability.
"That's almost as ridiculous as the vice president of AstroTurf saying his product isn't unsafe," he added.
Gilman also said he can do the Aloha Stadium job at a discounted price because his company is installing Fieldturf at three Hawaii high schools.