Fieldturf near OK The contract to change the playing surface at Aloha Stadium was expected to be finalized today at Gov. Linda Lingle's office, according to an NFL senior vice president and one of Lingle's top advisers.
at Aloha Stadium
The deal to replace AstroTurf is
expected to close today
and cost $1.2 million
By Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comThe current AstroTurf would be replaced with the new artificial surface Fieldturf, which NFL officials, University of Hawaii football coach June Jones and other officials want. The NFL's five-year Pro Bowl contract with the Hawaii Tourism Authority signed in 1999 stipulated a change at the stadium to grass or another surface to the NFL's liking.
"We have a meeting this morning and another one this afternoon. From what I heard from the lawyers it should be wrapped up today," Jim Steeg, NFL senior vice president, special events, said today. "The pain will be gone."
NFL players, Jones and other coaches have blamed the AstroTurf for increased injuries.
After the HTA and Fieldturf got the go-ahead from the Stadium Authority last summer, the Fieldturf was to have been in place for the beginning of the 2002 football season, and then in time for Sunday's Pro Bowl game. But questions of who would pay how much for the installation and completing the work in a short time frame (after the Dec. 25 ConAgra Foods Hawaii Bowl) caused another delay.
The money details have been hammered out and the turf will be installed after the Pro Bowl, the last game of the season.
The project is expected to cost about $1.2 million, with the HTA paying a little more than $400,000, the NFL kicking in more than $500,000 and the state paying another $300,000. The job will take about one month and includes construction work to reshape the stadium floor.
The Fieldturf company offered a discounted price because the surface will get wide exposure with football players, coaches and fans, especially at Pro Bowl 2004, officials said.
"This is actually an HTA project, but the governor's office has been there to help move things forward," said Lenny Klompus, Lingle's senior adviser-communications. "The governor's there to help. We think the agreements are where they need to be at this point."
Representatives of the state, the NFL and the turf company are meeting today.
"The significance of today's meeting is all the principles involved in the project will be sitting around the table, which is a function of everyone being in town," Klompus added.
A switch to Fieldturf drew heated opposition from members of the Stadium Authority last spring. Authority members questioned the need for a new surface when the AstroTurf has five years left on an eight-year warranty and cost the state $2.4 million.