GRASS GREENER IN HOUCK STADIUM; ARTIFICIAL TURF INSTALLATION PROGRESSING

Workers used a sweeper Monday to bring out the fibers of the new FieldTurf playing surface in Houck Stadium. The field will be ready for football in the fall.

The grass is greener at Houck Stadium thanks to a new artificial turf.

"It looks outstanding," said Don Kaverman, director of athletics at Southeast Missouri State University. "It is a beautiful green color."

The $750,000 project began in early February when work began on removing the natural grass surface at the aging stadium. The entire project should be completed by June 1, Southeast Missouri State University officials said.

Vibra-Whirl of Panhandle, Texas, was hired to install the FieldTurf brand synthetic grass. The carpet has been placed and a crew is putting a sand and rubber mixture into the turf this week to make it feel more like a natural grass surface.

"They have a little tractor with a spreader on back," said Tom Morris, construction manager for the university's facilities management department

Both Morris and Kaverman said some work remains to be done, including the painting of yellow soccer lines and the painting of football yard numbers. The field will be used for football and soccer.

A red line will be painted on either side of the 50-yard line, Kaverman said.

The Southeast logo will be painted in the center of the field. It will be red trimmed in white. The arrow will be white trimmed in black.

The word "Southeast" will be painted in the west end zone. "Indians" will be painted in the east end zone.

Morris said a brick wall on the north side has been replaced with a new metal handrail. Portable metal steps are being installed. They will be removed, and part of the north bleachers will be closed off for soccer games to accommodate the wider field.