Keeping It Heel
Fansided

UNC Football: Kenan Memorial Stadium to get Artificial Turf

By Zack Pearson

CHAPEL HILL, NC - NOVEMBER 05: Nick Weiler #24 of the North Carolina Tar Heels kicks a field goal against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets during the game at Kenan Stadium on November 5, 2016 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NC - NOVEMBER 05: Nick Weiler #24 of the North Carolina Tar Heels kicks a field goal against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets during the game at Kenan Stadium on November 5, 2016 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

A new playing surface will be installed at Kenan Memorial Stadium, just in time for the new UNC Football season in 2019

When the North Carolina Tar Heels football team takes the field in Chapel Hill this Fall, they will do so on a new playing surface.

The athletics department announced the switch on Saturday from natural grass to synthetic grass after the UNC Board of Governors approved it. Installation on the new synthetic grass will begin right after May 12th, following the Spring Commencement ceremony in the stadium.

AD Bubba Cunningham spoke out about the new playing surface saying it will benefit not only the program but the future of the university as well.

“Installing synthetic grass at Kenan Stadium not only is the best option for our football team and football game days – it also benefits our other varsity programs that may want to use Kenan as a conditioning space,” Cunningham said via GoHeels.com. “With 28 teams and more than 800 student-athletes, we are always looking for ways to create multi-use spaces, and installing synthetic grass at Kenan does that.”

The project will cost $2.5 million in total and will be funded by the Rams Club, per Inside Carolina’s story. The RootZone 3D3 Blend synthetic grass will be installed by AstroTuf and will be in both the outdoor stadium as well as the indoor stadium. Per the release, the playing surface will offer better shock absorbency and provide a safer field for the athletes.

But it won’t be the only renovation coming to the stadium.

The Board of Governors also approved a new $3 million request to make improvements to the stadium, including locker rooms, facilities, and a weight room upgrade.

New seating in the stadium was completed ahead of the 2018 season as the University is wrapping up a $115 million athletics facilities project which included a new indoor practice facility for the football program, among other things.

The Tar Heels Football program continues Spring Practice this week as they get ready for the Spring Game on April 13th.

Next. Tar Heels land commit on Jr. Day. dark

For more on UNC football, please check back with Keeping It Heel.

Home/UNC Football