Is artificial turf for indoor sports fields better?

You’re serving on the local board overseeing the construction of a new sports arena in town.

One of the questions currently on the table is whether to use live grass for the field, or go with some type of synthetic grass. After spending some time researching the matter, you are recommending the installation of artificial grass. Here are some of the points you can use to convince the rest of the board.

Feels Like the Real Thing

Most people will readily admit that artificial grass looks real, but how about the texture? Some will remember the turf that was popular a few decades ago. While it did look great, the texture was rough and not exactly conducive to playing contact sports. Talk with a local professional and take some samples of the current crop of artificial turf for their inspection. When they have the chance to touch those samples and see how they do feel like the real thing, one major obstacle will be overcome.

Maintenance Costs

With natural grass on the field, there is constant upkeep and maintenance to perform. Along with the mowing, there’s the matter of seeding areas that begin to get a little thin, fertilizing the entire field, and a number of other tasks. Compare that upkeep to the maintenance of artificial turf. Most of the effort will focus on removing leaves or any other debris that may collect on the field.

Don’t overlook the fact that artificial grass does not need watering. During the warmer seasons, consider how much water it will take to keep real grass lush and green. What could the city do with the money saved on the water expense alone? For those who may still have questions about the benefits of using artificial turf, reducing water consumption is often the reason that helps them make up their minds.

Durability

Even in a setting where the grass will be exposed to a lot of wear and tear, your research confirms that the field will look great for many years. Since the arena is designed for use with more than one sport, it will be used most of the year. Why settle for something that will need replacing every other season? Go with a product that will last for a long time and save the city a lot of money.

An Environmentally Responsible Choice

The choice of artificial grass for indoor sports arenas is not just about looks and saving money. It also happens to be the environmentally responsible choice. As you studied the benefits of this choice, you found that many professionals harvest older artificial turf and recycle it to create new grass. Others remove the old grass and use it for a number of other applications. With either approach, the city is investing in something that will not eventually end up in a landfill.

There are plenty of other reasons to consider synthetic grass for use in that new city stadium or arena. Consider asking a professional to visit one of the board meetings and provide more specifics. Invite board members and others in attendance to ask questions and get the answers they need. In the end, there’s a good chance that everyone will agree the installation of artificial grass is the right move economically and for the local environment.