CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM Groundbreaking for the installation of Fieldturf at Aloha Stadium yesterday included Bill Wilson of Hawaiian Dredging, left, Rex Johnson of the Hawaii Tourism Authority, third from left, and Lt. Governor Duke Aiona, fifth from left.

Stadium saying
aloha to AstroTurf

Crews begin removal of Aloha
Stadium's playing field to
make room for Fieldturf

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By Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.com

Turf's up -- finally.

Workers began cutting the AstroTurf at Aloha Stadium into strips yesterday as the first step to replacing the surface with Fieldturf.

Fieldturf facts >> The turf is virtually non-abrasive and allows athletes to slide, pivot and twist their cleats in the surface unlike any other synthetic grass field. >> Bio-mechanical testing found that Fieldturf "is comparable to natural grass and therefore, from a perspective of preventing injuries, is a good alternative to natural grass," according to Dr. Rick Lambson, of West Texas A&M University, Department of Sports and Exercise Sciences. Source: www.fieldturf.com

"It went well today," stadium manager Eddie Hayashi said.

It marked the beginning of the end of a political conundrum involving the state and the NFL going back to 1999. Installation is expected to be finalized by the end of next month.

When the NFL negotiated its Pro Bowl contract with the Hawaii Tourism Authority four years ago, one of the agreements was that either grass or another surface to the league's liking would be installed at the stadium.

The result is Fieldturf, which players say is easier on bodies than AstroTurf. Several NFL teams have switched to Fieldturf at their home stadiums and practice fields.

The Aloha Stadium Authority objected strongly to the switch at first, citing that the AstroTurf has four years left on an eight-year warranty and cost the state $2.4 million.

Hawaii football coach June Jones voiced his support for Fieldturf, prompting additional responses against it from authority board members Larry Price and Michael Green. The company that sells AstroTurf also weighed in heavily on the side of keeping its product in the stadium.

But the state, Fieldturf and the NFL (with help from governors Ben Cayetano and Linda Lingle) eventually worked a deal that ended up costing the state about $800,000 of a $1.3 million total cost to put in the Fieldturf -- and keep the Pro Bowl.

Yesterday there was no sign of the controversy of last year, as six Fieldturf employees began the three-day job of removing the AstroTurf after a groundbreaking ceremony.

"We're going to go late today," said supervisor Donny Jones. "We'll get all the seams cut today."

After cutting it into 5-yard seams, the workers will roll up the turf. It will then be distributed to any public schools that want it, Hayashi said. The same thing was done when the last surface was replaced four years ago.

ASSOCIATED PRESS Flags flew at half-staff over Aloha Stadium in memory of lost Space Shuttle astronauts before the start of the Pro Bowl on Feb. 2. The NFL said it wanted Fieldturf installed at the stadium for its annual all-star game.

It has been suggested that the turf be moved to the football stadium at Roosevelt High School, but because of how the turf is cut that would be cost prohibitive and impractical to play on. Plus, the situation of football games being played on a surface that players and coaches say causes unnecessary injuries would still exist.

After the AstroTurf is removed, a crew from Hawaiian Dredging will excavate the stadium floor to shave the floor's crown to 6 inches from its current 18 inches to accommodate for drainage (this would also make the stadium suitable for international soccer competition). The Fieldturf will then be installed.

Groundskeeping legend George Toma is monitoring the process for the NFL.

"My joke is that the UH football team should be much faster this year. They won't have to wear all that protective gear," he said. "If June Jones doesn't have a 1,000-yard rusher this year, I don't know what else we can do to help him."

When the AstroTurf was pulled up yesterday, it revealed a 3/4-inch pad under the 1/4-inch turf.

"When that pad hardens up, it gets as hard as asphalt," Toma said.

There was no "e-layer," an additional pad that makes for a softer surface and is used in some stadiums with AstroTurf. But Toma and Jones said an e-layer does not necessarily prevent injuries -- if it is too soft, it can cause hamstring pulls, they said.