Board approves new turf at Kelly/Shorts
The Board of Trustees approved an allocation of $975,000 Thursday to replace the surface of Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
The repairs will be done as a part of CMU’s deferred maintenance projects.
“I am real pleased with having the turf replaced because we needed it,” said Athletics Director Herb Deromedi. “If doing it through deferred maintenance is the best way to do it, so be it.”
The field will likely be a rubber and sand based surface, similar to that at Ford Field and Michigan Stadium.
Officials said the $975,000 will cover the removal of the old turf, excavation of the field and laying the new turf.
ProGrass, Sprinturf, General Sports Turf and FieldTurf have all sent bids to CMU Purchasing Services.
Brad Stambaugh, senior buyer for CMU Purchasing Services, said the university sent out seven proposals and received responses from four companies so far.
“Synthetic grass is the type of turf that has become the turf of choice,” Deromedi said. “It is one that would best resemble grass.”
Stambaugh said the university wants to choose a bid soon. However, the new surface would not allow field hockey to share the venue, creating a need for an alternate site.
“We are trying to announce who won the bid by next Friday,” Stambaugh said. “We did ask some vendors to provide preliminary pricing in order to complete a new field hockey field.”
Deromedi said he would like to have the field ready soon.
“We really expect the construction to begin sometime in April,” Deromedi said. “We want to have access to the field for summer camps.”
Football coach Brian Kelly was ecstatic when he heard the news.
“It was clear the turf at Kelly/Shorts Stadium had worn out its welcome,” he said. “I believe it really affected the team last season with injuries. We had four players go down with season-ending injuries and that will be prevented.”
He also said the turf replacement sends a message.
“It shows the school’s commitment to athletics,” Kelly said. “I wouldn’t have come here if they didn’t show that commitment.”
Kelly said opposing coaches used the old turf against CMU in recruiting prospective athletes.
“This is one of the things we needed to become a championship program,” Kelly said. “This was used as a negative recruiting tool. Coaches would tell players that if they come here, they could tear a knee or something. They would say, ‘Why not come to X-school, where you can come play on a beautiful playing surface.’”
Life Sports Editor Jeremy Speer contributed to this article.
