The Frisco Soccer & Entertainment Center is well on its way to completion after a majority of the sod for the field was laid down late last week. On Wed., May 11 and Thurs., May 12, workers placed most of the turf, with the remainder to be installed by the end of the month, once a dirt ramp used for construction is removed.
On Wednesday, half of the field was put in place, with the sod coming from a turf farm just 30 minutes away from the stadium. Workers started at the south end of the stadium and worked their way north, finishing on Thursday just shy of where the facility's stage overhang leans over the field.
Within seven days of installation, grooming of the field will begin with the first cut. In six weeks, the root system will have developed enough that the field will be ready for play. When the surface is ready and in use, groundskeepers will cut the grass to one-half inch for soccer matches and three-quarters of an inch for football games.
The rest of the stadium is coming along, as well, and the facility is on schedule for its August 6 debut when FC Dallas play host to the MetroStars. Two-thirds of the stadium seats have been installed and all of the bench seating is in place at the south end of the building. The remaining seating bowl has been completed and concession and service buildings in the south half of the stadium are in place.
Outside the stadium, workers are busy preparing the streets and parking areas that will provide access to the stadium and surrounding fields. Irrigation systems are being installed on the fields that don't yet have them, and the turf for the fields on the northern half of the soccer complex and the FC Dallas training field is due to be installed in early June.
Jason Halpin is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story is not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
