Turf being installed in Edward Jones Dome

ST. LOUIS -- Don't be fooled by the heat -- football season is almost here. And when the St. Louis Rams open preseason play in three weeks, they'll be playing on a new, cushier turf.

The old concrete-like artificial surface the Rams have played on -- and complained about -- since arriving in St. Louis in 1995 has been ripped up at the Edward Jones Dome. Installation began July 18 on the new $168,000 FieldTurf and is expected to be complete by Monday.

The project will take that long because pieces have to be sewn together on site, then filed with a mix of rounded silica sand, rubber granules and ground-up athletic shoe materials, said Brian McMurtry, director of operations at America's Center, the convention center complex that includes the dome.

Then, team logos, sideline, end zone and field markings are painted onto the field. The work is being performed by TTI Sports.

The new fake grass is a darker green than the old, with long, soft plastic blades that help cushion the fall and limit the rug burns Rams players and opponents have suffered through.

"I think it's much more forgiving," said Bob Wallace, executive vice president of the Rams. "The players like playing on it. Some like it more than playing on grass."

McMurtry said there is a downside: The new grass is harder to paint. He's not sure workers can duplicate the blue background with the Rams logo for the end zones.

The new turf is only temporary. After the 2005 season, the dome will get a new convertible system that can be picked up in parts and moved easily to accommodate functions when the Rams are not playing at home. The temporary turf was necessary because the technology for the convertible system is not yet there, but officials believe it will be by next year.

The Rams have long complained about the rock-hard texture of the old carpet-over-concrete turf, worrying that it creates additional injury risks in an already violent sport. FieldTurf has become the standard for artificial fields in the NFL and has been likened to playing on natural grass.

Last season, rookie running back Steven Jackson battled a knee injury his rookie year that coach Mike Martz blamed on the team's home field.

The past few seasons, the Rams' indoor practice site west of St. Louis has had FieldTurf. The team also has several natural grass fields at its complex.

The Convention and Visitors Commission initially had resisted the changeover in the dome, fearing it would hinder the site's ability to stage conventions and trade shows. The Rams' old turf was the last of its kind among NFL fields.