Workers Remove History-Making Superdome Field

NEW ORLEANS – You’ve heard of tearing down the goalposts after a big win but this is ridiculous … 

After the College Football Playoff National Championship game on Monday night, crews began taking down the goalposts and removing the field turf from the Superdome floor. 

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Under the supervision of Oregon-based contractor TurfNation, workers have been using special equipment to scrape and vacuum up all the sand and tar that give the field its stability. Then the field material will be rolled into bundles and loaded onto trucks that will guide it toward its ultimate destination: Lusher Charter School, which has purchased the turf as a replacement for the natural grass field at its Freret Street campus. (Disclosure: The reporter’s spouse is an employee of Lusher.) For years to come, local student will compete on the same grass on which Drew Brees and Michael Thomas both set NFL records and the LSU Tigers completed what some are arguing is the most impressive “perfect” season in college football history.

Superdome reps said that once the turf is completely removed, the bare concrete floor will be used for “contractor mobilization and staging” for the upcoming renovation before the Essence Festival moves in. Crews are preparing the stadium for phase one of $450 million in renovations at the Dome. The work will be stretched out over the next four years and will take place between scheduled events like the Essence Fest this July and, of course, next year’s NFL season.

The work will involve the removal of nearly two square miles of entry and egress ramps underneath the dome’s stands. This will pave the way for expanded concourses and concession areas, which are expected to be a big improvement for the movement of people and concession sales.

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Sunni LeBeouf

Black History Month Spotlight This Black History Month, Cox Communications is proud to recognize Sunni LeBeouf for her prolific record of professional achievement, civic philanthropy,...

 Don’t worry: a new field will be installed before the next football season.

 

 

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