Turf @ The Tub

[93henfan]

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/2 ... re+Stadium

In December, the Delaware Stadium grass surface will be removed and a new synthetic FieldTurf field will be installed, the University of Delaware announced tonight.

Work is scheduled to begin on Dec. 1 and is expected to be completed in time for spring football practice and lacrosse season in March.

“This is just one of several improvements we plan to take as we enhance the footprint of our athletics facilities here at the University of Delaware,” UD Director of Athletics Bernard Muir said in a press release. “Delaware Stadium now becomes a multi-purpose facility that can be used for a host of other events and activities throughout the year. Our future plans include adding even more artificial turf fields on campus for recreational use.”

In addition to Delaware football games, the Blue Hen men’s lacrosse squad has scheduled at least three games to be played in Delaware Stadium this spring.

The new surface will also accommodate Blue Hen women’s lacrosse games as well as outside organizations including high school sporting events. Both the UD men’s and women’s lacrosse teams plan to play all their games in Delaware Stadium in 2011.

[BlackFalkin]

congrats to UD

[Grizalltheway]

And somewhere in Minnesota, MPLSBISON rejoices.

[mainejeff]

It's about time.

[putter]

Good news for the Tub. Is this the 1st part of the overall upgrading of the stadium?

[93henfan]

Good news for the Tub. Is this the 1st part of the overall upgrading of the stadium?

TBD.

The university hired HOK last year to draft a long-term plan for upgrade of the entire athletic program. This plan included a new athletic performance center at the corner of S. College Ave and Rt 4 (right behind the message board at the corner of the athletic complex, for those familiar) and a new stadium behind the current ice complex.

Several things have changed since that plan was released. We hired a new AD this year and the university also acquired over 700 acres of property across the street from the current athletic complex (the shuttered Chrysler Newark Assembly Plant and Mopar Parts distribution center).

The latest rumblings (just mentioned yesterday in the News Journal) are that the athletic performance center is still priority #1, but that the planned location is now behind the north end zone of the Tub. What this means, I'm not sure, but it sounds like this could be a tie-in to the existing stadium, and if so, might mean the Tub (or at least the field location) stays the same.

[G&B]

I hope you have bright blue end zones with yellow letters.