Field Turf to be installed at multi-purpose stadium

By Scott M. Johnson

Herald Writer

The Seattle Seahawks will continue to play their home games on FieldTurf after this season, but not at the expense of soccer.

By a 6-1 vote by the Washington State Public Stadium Authority (PSA), the installation of FieldTurf at the new multi-purpose stadium in downtown Seattle was approved Thursday. The surface is expected to be put in sometime next spring, with the stadium scheduled to open in time for the Seahawks’ 2002 season.

The decision came with a few stipulations, mainly having to do with future plans to bring soccer to downtown Seattle. All of the stipulations would include Paul Allen’s development company, First &Goal, paying the full cost of any renovations necessary for soccer games to be played at the stadium.

Under the four stipulations, First &Goal would:

Permanently replace the turf with natural grass at its own cost if the World Cup or Major League Soccer (MLS) require it.

Install a suitable temporary surface at full cost for all World Cup and Olympic finals.

Install a suitable temporary replacement at full cost one time per calendar year for World Cup or Olympic games, or for exhibition games involving the U.S. National or Olympic teams.

Install a suitable temporary replacement up to a maximum of three times per year for First Division professional soccer clubs that draw an attendance of at least 40,000.

While the local soccer community was originally hoping the field surface would be natural grass, the stipulations made it easier for the PSA to approve FieldTurf.

“Those who coach and play soccer were in favor of (FieldTurf),” PSA spokesperson Suanne Pelley said. “Those who wanted world class soccer events seem to be fine with it because of the stipulations and flexibility.”

Although the PSA put stipulations on its decision, there is a possibility that the World Cup and/or MLS would not require any permanent or temporary renovations in the future.

“The MLS prefers to play on natural grass, and all the teams in the league currently play on natural grass,” MLS vice president of communications Dan Courtemanche said Thursday. “That said, we are always talking and looking at any innovations. I know FieldTurf has been well-received in the Women’s Soccer Association.”

Courtemanche added that the league is looking at Seattle as a possible expansion city for the future, although the league’s announcement to add two teams next month will probably not include the Emerald City.

The PSA’s Pelley said several European teams practice on FieldTurf and that the sport’s governing body, FIFA, could eventually approve the surface for World Cup games. FIFA has already approved a FieldTurf facility at Boston University in June, thereby clearing the way for preliminary World Cup games to be held there.

“That’s been a huge opening of the doors,” Pelley said, “so certainly there is the possibility of it being approved in the future.”

Lynnwood High School coach Kim Plumis, whose girls’ soccer team plays its home games on FieldTurf, said she actually prefers it to grass when having to share a field with the football team.

“If you have perfect grass, that’s always the No. 1 choice,” Plumis said. “But this is pretty close. And, you don’t have to worry about football players tearing up the middle of the field.”

When work began on Seattle’s newest downtown stadium, the original plan was to install grass. But after playing on FieldTurf at Husky Stadium last year, the Seahawks convinced Allen – a soccer aficionado – to recommend its installation at the new facility. First &Goal sent a recommendation to the PSA earlier this summer, asking it to approve the surface.

Although many of the Seahawks players said Thursday that they prefer playing on grass, they acknowledged the need for a surface in Seattle that provides easier maintenance.

“If it will hold up better than the grass will, then it’s better for the whole organization,” running back Ricky Watters said Thursday. “But as far as I’m concerned, I would never say anything’s better than grass.”

Maybe grass would have been the perfect surface for any sport, but the Pacific Northwest winters make it too difficult to maintain. So FieldTurf made for a relatively easy substitute.

“The decision was the greatest benefit to everyone,” First &Goal spokesperson Michael Nank said. “It benefits the public as a whole because more events can be played on the surface.”

Said Seahawks coach/general manager Mike Holmgren: “I think they made the right choice. It has held up well at the University of Washington and will serve the new stadium well in the near future.”