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  • A piece of synthetic turf lies on the track at Port Neches-Groves High School stadium as a work crew rakes the field after the removal of defective turf on Wednesday. Mary Meaux

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July 19, 2012

PN-G’s new turf to showcase Indian spirit

Mary Meaux The Port Arthur News

PORT NECHES — The once colorful field at Port Neches-Groves’ Indian stadium is no more.

Crews began rolling up long strips of the defective artificial turf late last week and are now preparing the field for a brand new synthetic turf that will sport some added features, Superintendent Rodney Cavness said.

“It will be a duplicate to the previous field with the exception of an Indian logo head in the center of the field facing the home crowds,” Cavness said. “And on approximately the 25 yard line on each side there will be the PN-G logo. This will be first class.”

Hellas Construction of Austin is installing the new turf at about $400,000. Funding for the field was paid for with leftover monies from the 2007 bond with a booster club kicking in additional funds for the logos.

Cavness said there has been a thorough inspection of the drainage system and the system is in 100 percent working order.

“Now, while the turf is being sent, they will go back and look at the crown and slope of the field and grade the rock out there on the subsurface, get it real smooth and prepare to put the new turf down.”

Construction is expected to take three weeks and includes an eight-year warranty.

In May, the school district opted to purchase the new turf although FieldTurf, the company currently being sued by the district for installing a defective turf, offered to replace the field for free. According to the district’s attorney, FieldTurf offered to replace the four-year-old field but would not grant a new warranty to the replacement turf.

PN-G’s Indian Stadium underwent a $10.2 million renovation in 2008 as part of a 2007 bond issue. Projects at the stadium included a new drainage system and FieldTurf playing surface, all new home seating, high definition video display and scoreboard, two-tier press box and new concessions and restrooms on both sides of the stadium. Cost to instal the turn and drainage system and related projects came in at about $1 million.

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