chesteryes.com ::

News April 20, 2010 PPL Park growing greener By VICKY THOMAS vthomas@delcotimes.com CHESTER — What’s more thrilling than watching grass grow? A lot of things, for sure. But when you’re laying the sod that Philadelphia’s first Major League Soccer team will line up on during its first season in its new stadium, grass can get exciting. “It’s a great feeling to be able to do something for the city of Chester and it’s a great feeling to be a part of history,” said Robert Coates, a Chester resident and Local 413 member who was among the crew laying down the first pieces of sod at PPL Park Monday afternoon. The construction at the Philadelphia Union’s future home was moving along Monday as patches of the Bermuda grass began to multiply and other workers continued installing seatbacks around the stadium. Dempsey Davis, also a Chester resident working on the construction crew, said all of the stadium’s seats should be in place by May 15. “(The stadium) is going to be a great thing for the whole community. It’s creating jobs and everything,” said Davis. PPL Park’s head groundskeeper, Jason Bowers, said he was enjoying the new work created by the sod’s arrival. “I can start fertilizing and mowing the field instead of doing things in the office,” said Bowers. “We’re laying sod for the playing surface … it’s exciting to be able to see some grass on the field. In six weeks, it’ll be rooted in.” The warm-season Bermuda grass was grown in Delmar, Md., before making its way to the riverfront stadium, Bowers said. About four of the 10,000-square-foot loads were installed Monday. Five loads are set to go down today and the job will be finished with the last load and a half Wednesday, he said. Bermuda grass is a suitable surface for soccer and football, Bowers said. “It grows a little more horizontally and almost creates a web, so it gives the cleats better traction,” said Bowers, a member of the Virginia Tech grounds crew for six years before taking the job in Chester. Pipes were installed to keep the soil’s temperature above 32 degrees in the winter months, otherwise the roots will freeze and the grass will die, Bowers said. Construction of the $115 million, 18,500-seat PPL Park will be completed in June, in time for the team’s official home opener in a June 27 match against the Seattle Sounders. The Union’s first home game was earlier this month against D.C. United at Lincoln Financial Field in South Philadelphia, and the team will play one more game at the Linc before taking the field in Chester. Coates said he plans on taking in a game once the park opens. “We’ll bring the kids down, get some hot dogs and hamburgers. It’ll be a good time.”

News
April 20, 2010

PPL Park growing greener
By VICKY THOMAS
vthomas@delcotimes.com

CHESTER — What’s more thrilling than watching grass grow?

A lot of things, for sure. But when you’re laying the sod that Philadelphia’s first Major League Soccer team will line up on during its first season in its new stadium, grass can get exciting.

“It’s a great feeling to be able to do something for the city of Chester and it’s a great feeling to be a part of history,” said Robert Coates, a Chester resident and Local 413 member who was among the crew laying down the first pieces of sod at PPL Park Monday afternoon.

The construction at the Philadelphia Union’s future home was moving along Monday as patches of the Bermuda grass began to multiply and other workers continued installing seatbacks around the stadium.

Dempsey Davis, also a Chester resident working on the construction crew, said all of the stadium’s seats should be in place by May 15.

“(The stadium) is going to be a great thing for the whole community. It’s creating jobs and everything,” said Davis.

PPL Park’s head groundskeeper, Jason Bowers, said he was enjoying the new work created by the sod’s arrival.

“I can start fertilizing and mowing the field instead of doing things in the office,” said Bowers.

“We’re laying sod for the playing surface … it’s exciting to be able to see some grass on the field. In six weeks, it’ll be rooted in.”

The warm-season Bermuda grass was grown in Delmar, Md., before making its way to the riverfront stadium, Bowers said. About four of the 10,000-square-foot loads were installed Monday. Five loads are set to go down today and the job will be finished with the last load and a half Wednesday, he said.

Bermuda grass is a suitable surface for soccer and football, Bowers said.

“It grows a little more horizontally and almost creates a web, so it gives the cleats better traction,” said Bowers, a member of the Virginia Tech grounds crew for six years before taking the job in Chester.

Pipes were installed to keep the soil’s temperature above 32 degrees in the winter months, otherwise the roots will freeze and the grass will die, Bowers said.

Construction of the $115 million, 18,500-seat PPL Park will be completed in June, in time for the team’s official home opener in a June 27 match against the Seattle Sounders.

The Union’s first home game was earlier this month against D.C. United at Lincoln Financial Field in South Philadelphia, and the team will play one more game at the Linc before taking the field in Chester.

Coates said he plans on taking in a game once the park opens.

“We’ll bring the kids down, get some hot dogs and hamburgers. It’ll be a good time.”