SUPER BOWL SOD A PROJECT 2 YEARS IN THE MAKING

(Houston, Texas) Jan. 13, 2004 - Giant rolls of green grass grown in the Arizona desert are headed to Houston, Texas. The special blend of Bermuda, rye and bluegrass will be the playing surface of Super Bowl XXXVIII.

Daniell Marman of West Coast Turf says, "It needs to be just a real nice dense strong turf. You've got everybody watching that game, and you have got big football players making cuts on the turf, and you need it to be real stable."

Since it was planted two years ago, the "Super Bowl Sod" has been under the watchful eye of Western Sod and the National Football League. Western Sod's Lee Allison says it's harvested in 30-foot long sections, which are placed on top the old field, "There's two installation crews. Each crew is six people, because just moving the field ... from these big rolls are heavy."

Marman says anyone who wants the special sod will have to pay a pretty penny, "We like to say it's priceless, ... but, if you were going to buy it retail, it'd be about $100,000. That what the value for this Super Bowl is."

posted 12:53pm by Chris Rees