Phoenix turf might offer preview of Raiders’ LV field
GLENDALE, Ariz. — The surface now is hardwood, a basketball court prepared to welcome the college game’s biggest party on Saturday in a Final Four.
But outside University of Phoenix Stadium, rolled up all nice and tidy, is a 19 million-pound playing field of 9,300 tons of grass that has 542 wheel assemblies and travels along 13 steel rails embedded in concrete.
Which is similar to what you could see when the Raiders open play in their state-of-the-art domed stadium in Las Vegas.
Housing an NFL team and competing for various events and having all such performances under a retractable roof might not be the only similarities between the home of the Arizona Cardinals and what might prove to be one for the Raiders, approved for relocation from Oakland to Southern Nevada by league owners Monday. It’s all about natural grass, man. “It has worked really well for us,” said Tom Sadler, CEO and president of Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority, which owns University of Phoenix Stadium. “The last 10 years, we have been ranked No. 1 or 2 by the (NFL) Players Association as having the best turf. There are a lot of moving parts to it, but if you keep up with proper maintenance, all the (equipment) can last 15 to 20 years before things need to be replaced.”
This just in: It gets really hot in Arizona. Same with Las Vegas. The field is 234 feet wide and 403 feet long. It has its own irrigation system controlled by timers and piping for drainage, meaning enough water is used to keep the grass — which stands about 2 inches high — damp in desert conditions.
When it’s time for football, someone pulls a lever on the concourse, and the wheels begin to churn. It takes about an hour for the field to travel 741 feet from the south end of the stadium into place for competition.
The Cardinals replace the turf annually to the tune of $270,000 to $350,000. When the NFL hosted Super Bowl XLIX here, it had its own grass installed to ensure the players had a brand new surface on which to play. So, too, did those running the College Football Playoff for their championship game between Alabama and Clemson two years ago.
“The field takes a lot of wear and tear every year,” Sadler said. “The Cardinals will usually get a new one in November to get them through the rest of the season and hopefully a playoff run. They also practice on it. That’s a lot.
“Depending on which sod you choose, the price can vary, but that range of $270,000 to $350,000 is where things usually are.”
Another thing: When you can roll the field in and out, it allows for so many other types of events to fit seamlessly in the space, whether it be a basketball court this week or staging for trade shows or concerts.
Then, outside areas where the field usually sits become available for fan experience events and tailgating. Contact Ed Graney at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. Follow @edgraney on Twitter.