LAKE GEORGE -- Two events scheduled for Charles R. Wood Park in the coming weeks will be held on the newly turfed site as organizers took steps Thursday to minimize potential damage to the new grass.

Warren County leaders had expressed concern earlier this week, because sod placed on the park was put in three weeks later than planned.

The delay means the grass is susceptible to damage when the Shrine Circus and American Music Festival for the Lake take place next month, which prompted talk of moving the events.

Lake George Mayor Robert Blais and county officials discussed the issue Thursday, and agreed to take precautions and use certain parts of Charles R. Wood Park that will allow the events to be held there as scheduled.

Blais said truck traffic will be limited during both the circus and concert, and a stage for the concert will be placed to limit issues with the grass.

Blais said more than 1,000 people are expected for the three-day music festival, which is growing as more acts commit to perform.

He had looked into moving the circus to state-owned Battlefield Park if the grass was not ready at Charles R. Wood Park, but the state would not allow it, Blais said. And no alternative site is available that is big enough for the concert.

Warren County Public Works Superintendent Jeff Tennyson said county officials were satisfied with the steps that would be taken during the events to limit traffic on the grass.

Were confident we can get them on the site without any problems, Tennyson said. The grass is getting green and growing well.

The rest is here:
Despite late grass, events at park will go on

After only one preseason game at Levi's Stadium, the failing sod had to be ripped up and torn out last week after 49ers players began slipping and sliding during a practice.

Now, after another game on the new turf, the sod has to be replaced again. As you can see in the photo below, which Instagram user hundreddollarman, via the San Jose Mercury News, says he snapped on Monday afternoon.

This apparently was snapped at Levi's Stadium on Monday afternoon. (@hundreddollarman)

So, um, what's up?

According to the Mercury News, the team only installed the sod for last weekend's preseason game vs. the Chargers to be used temporarily and now will install a new field this weekend.

That turf should be ready for the 49ers home opener vs. the Bears on Sept. 14 (and the Sept. 6 Chile-Mexico soccer match).

For all you grass buffs out there, the team and its consultants are deciding whether it should continue to use Bandera Bermuda sod or switch to a Tifway grass that the paper says is used by more NFL squads.

Original post:
Passing grass: 49ers rip out stadium sod again

Jan 27, 2012: In this file photo, United States' Kelly O'Hara (5) fights for control of the ball with Costa Rica's Daniela Cruz (8) during the first half of CONCACAF women's Olympic qualifying soccer game action at B.C. Place in Vancouver, British Columbia.AP

Even actor Tom Hanks has an opinion about whether the athletes at the 2015 Women's World Cup should play on artificial turf or grass.

A group of players from the U.S. women's national team, who will vie for a spot in the World Cup in October qualifying, have joined with several international players in protesting the turf surfaces for next summer's big event in Canada. And they're getting rapidly growing support from the sport's fans, including Hanks.

Last week Hanks, a big soccer fan, voiced his support on Twitter: "Opinion: Women's World Cup is the best Soccer of the year. Hey FIFA, they deserve real grass. Put in sod. Hanx."

The athletes say that it's not just a safety issue because turf is less forgiving than natural grass, it's about equity. They argue the men weren't asked to play soccer's top international tournament on a fake surface.

"It really goes down to this: The men would never play a World Cup on turf, so why should the women? It's the same tournament. It's the World Cup," U.S. forward Sydney Leroux said. "It's the biggest thing that we have for soccer. Why would we play on something that's not real?"

The athletes have formally joined in a letter of protest penned to FIFA, the sport's international governing body, and the Canadian Soccer Association. If they don't hear back soon, legal action could be taken in Canada based on that country's laws against gender-based discrimination.

Boies, Schiller & Flexner, the law firm involved in the recent lawsuit filed by former UCLA basketball star Ed O'Bannon against the NCAA, drafted the letter on behalf of the players and is prepared to go to court.

"I think it resonates with a lot of people," said Boise Schiller & Flexner attorney Hampton Dellinger. "It's important in and of itself, but it's also important on a symbolic level, that if some of the world's greatest athletes can be treated this way, it's a real setback for gender equity in sports. It should have never gotten to this point, but it's not too late for Canadian soccer and FIFA to do the right thing."

In an email to The Associated Press, FIFA acknowledged receipt of the letter, but declined further comment. The Canadian Soccer Association deferred to FIFA for reaction.

See the original post here:
Safety cited in Women's World Cup turf war

By ANNE M. PETERSON AP Sports Writer

Even actor Tom Hanks has an opinion about whether the athletes at the 2015 Women's World Cup should play on artificial turf or grass.

A group of players from the U.S. women's national team, who will vie for a spot in the World Cup in October qualifying, have joined with several international players in protesting the turf surfaces for next summer's big event in Canada. And they're getting rapidly growing support from the sport's fans, including Hanks.

Last week Hanks, a big soccer fan, voiced his support on Twitter: "Opinion: Women's World Cup is the best Soccer of the year. Hey FIFA, they deserve real grass. Put in sod. Hanx."

The athletes say that it's not just a safety issue because turf is less forgiving than natural grass, it's about equity. They argue the men weren't asked to play soccer's top international tournament on a fake surface.

"It really goes down to this: The men would never play a World Cup on turf, so why should the women? It's the same tournament. It's the World Cup," U.S. forward Sydney Leroux said. "It's the biggest thing that we have for soccer. Why would we play on something that's not real?"

The athletes have formally joined in a letter of protest penned to FIFA, the sport's international governing body, and the Canadian Soccer Association. If they don't hear back soon, legal action could be taken in Canada based on that country's laws against gender-based discrimination.

Boies, Schiller & Flexner, the law firm involved in the recent lawsuit filed by former UCLA basketball star Ed O'Bannon against the NCAA, drafted the letter on behalf of the players and is prepared to go to court.

"I think it resonates with a lot of people," said Boise Schiller & Flexner attorney Hampton Dellinger. "It's important in and of itself, but it's also important on a symbolic level, that if some of the world's greatest athletes can be treated this way, it's a real setback for gender equity in sports. It should have never gotten to this point, but it's not too late for Canadian soccer and FIFA to do the right thing."

In an email to The Associated Press, FIFA acknowledged receipt of the letter, but declined further comment. The Canadian Soccer Association deferred to FIFA for reaction.

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Women's World Cup turf war heats up - Quincy Herald-Whig | Illinois & Missouri News, Sports

TORONTO Tom Hanks takes his soccer seriously. And when the Women's World Cup comes to Canada in 2015, he wants the games played on grass fields.

The actor is adding his voice to those protesting the use of artificial turf for the six Canadian venues. On Friday, Hanks tweeted: "Opinion: Women's World Cup is the best Soccer of the year. Hey FIFA, they deserve real grass. Put in sod."

Forty international players recently wrote to FIFA and the Canadian Soccer Association threatening legal action. They say requiring women to play on artificial turf is discriminatory.

In Toronto this month, FIFA President Sepp Blatter lauded the quality of today's artificial turf. Still, the players in the letter say the risk for injury remains greater than on grass surfaces.

Hanks is a fan of the English Premier League club Aston Villa.

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No act: Tom Hanks wants sod for Women's World Cup

The San Francisco 49ers re-sodded the field at Levis Stadium from goal line to goal line and sideline to sideline with longer grass Friday and they expect no problems for Sundays preseason game against the San Diego Chargers.

I just felt like there was too much slipping going on, San Francisco 49ers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh said in a press briefing at the stadium Friday.

Harbaugh added that the 49ers grounds crews were working on a more permanent solution to fix the grass field in time for Sundays preseason home game against the San Diego Chargers, Harbaugh said.

Were refitting, regrouping, retooling and the new field is going in, he said.

Once again, its our organization, we can count on them to always do things at the highest level and thats whats in process now and (we) look forward to playing the game on Sunday, the coach said.

Im sure the field is going to be good and playable, he said.

In answer to reporters who asked if he were an expert on grass, Harbaugh answered, I am not. I am not.

After a journalist inquired again about the field, Harbaugh, sounding frustrated, answered that, Itll be right. We have total confidence in that. What more is there to whittle away at here?

49ers Chief Operating Officer Al Guido said the team, league officials and other experts and consultants are working to solve the issue and determine why the initial sod laid in April failed to hold up at least well into the regular season as was expected. There had been plans to re-sod at some point this season when it was deemed necessary.

What we knew is the sod wasnt going to hold up for an NFL game. Obviously we didnt want to do it this early, Guido said. Its unfortunate. In the circles of the NFL world, this wasnt big news. Its big in the fact we never planned to take it up this early.

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Good and playable: New, longer grass laid at 49ers Levis Stadium

SANTA CLARA -- Count wide receiver Bruce Ellington among the 49ers not concerned, at least publicly, whether Levi's Stadium's new grass will hold up in Sunday's exhibition against the San Diego Chargers.

And Ellington is among the players who slipped during an abbreviated practice Wednesday that prompted the original sod's replacement.

"It's just grass. Stuff like that happens," Ellington said of Wednesday's fall, which didn't result in an injury. "They'll get it fixed."

New grass was being installed Friday after the 4-month-old sod got torn up after Wednesday's abbreviated practice.

Coach Jim Harbaugh expressed similar confidence that the temporary sod will hold up for Sunday's exhibition, after which he said that grass will be replaced by a more permanent solution.

A truck loaded with sod waits to enter Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday, Aug. 22, 2014. (LiPo Ching/Bay Area News Group) (LiPo Ching)

"The action's been taken," Harbaugh said. "We're refitting, regrouping, retooling. A new field is going in.

"The organization, we can count on them to do things at the highest level, and that's what we're in the process of now."

The team hasn't confirmed the fate of other upcoming events at Levi's Stadium, including two high school football games next Friday night and a Mexico-Chile soccer game Sept. 6. The 49ers' regular-season home opener is Sept. 14 against the Chicago Bears, on NBC's "Sunday Night Football."

Fellow wideout Stevie Johnson was another player who tumbled during Wednesday's practice, and although he aggravated an injury, coach Jim Harbaugh expected Johnson to participate in Friday's session on the regular training fields next to the stadium.

The rest is here:
Jim Harbaugh, 49ers players undaunted by Levi's Stadium turf woes

49ers chief operating officer Al Guido says new sod will be installed at Levis Stadium by the end of Friday and be ready for Sundays exhibition against the San Diego Chargers.

After that game, the field will be pulled up again for inspection, and that sod might be placed back down or replaced by another strain of grass.

The sod that arrived at Levis Stadium at 4 a.m. Friday is 1 1/2 inches thicker than the Bermuda Bandera that was put in four months ago at the $1.3 billion stadium.

As a fallout of the sod issue, Levis Stadium will not host a pair of high school football games next Friday. Instead, the 49ers plan to host those four teams in late October for eight games: Oct. 10 features Santa Clara vs. Wilcox, then Elk Grove vs. Jesuit; Oct. 11: Oakdale vs. Manteca, then James Logan vs. De La Salle.

The Mexico-Chile friendly soccer game will indeed go on as schedule Sept. 6, Guido said.

Changing to artificial grass, or FieldTurf, is not an option being explored.

Here is the start of his question-and-answer session with the media:

Where do things stand now?

Were putting the finishing touches on laying the sod down now. We got it out past the numbers and theyre moving really quick. It should be done in a few hours here.

Its a deeper cut now?

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49ers COO Al Guido confident sod OK for Sunday s game, but will be evaluated after; FieldTurf not option; prep games ...

Count wide receiver Bruce Ellington among the 49ers not concerned, at least publicly, whether Levis Stadiums new grass will hold up in Sundays exhibition against the San Diego Chargers.

And Ellington is among the players who slipped during an abbreviated practice Wednesday that prompted the original sods replacement.

Its just grass. Stuff like that happens, Ellington said of Wednesdays fall, which didnt result in an injury. Theyll get it fixed.

New grass was being installed Friday after the 4-month-old sod got torn up afterWednesdaysabbreviated practice.

Coach Jim Harbaugh expressed similar confidencethat the temporary sod will hold up for Sundays exhibition, after which he said that grass will be replaced by a more permanent solution.

The actions been taken, Harbaugh said. Were refitting, regrouping, retooling. A new field is going in.

The organization, we can count on them to do things at the highest level, and thats what were in the process of now.

The team hasnt confirmed the fate of other upcoming events at Levis Stadium, including two high school football games next Friday night and a Mexico-Chile soccer game Sept. 6. The 49ers regular-season home opener is Sept. 14 against the Chicago Bears, on NBCs Sunday Night Football.

Fellow wideout Stevie Johnson was another player who tumbled during Wednesdays practice, and although he aggravated an injury, coach Jim Harbaugh expected Johnson to participate in Fridays session on the regular training fields next to the stadium.

Several players expressed similar confidence in the new sod, which Harbaugh said will be torn up after Sundays exhibition and replaced by a more permanent field.

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WR Bruce Ellington sums up players thoughts on sod: They ll get it fixed

This is what the sod looked like at the 49ers preseason home opener. (CBSSports.com)

There's a lot of things that $1.2 billion can buy you, but apparently, it can't buy nice grass. After only playing one game at their new $1.2 billion home, the 49ers have been forced to replace the sod at Levi's Stadium.

The team started the process on Thursday and will definitely will have to have the job finished by Sunday because the 49ers are scheduled to host the Chargers in a Week 3 preseason game.

Going, going, gone! Entire field turf removed from #LevisStadium Team not saying what they're doing. From Sky7HD. pic.twitter.com/UtGiSs6ZUC

The sod seemed to look fine for San Francisco's preseason home opener against Denver on Aug. 17, but things took a turn for the worse on Wednesday. Coach Jim Harbaugh pulled his players off the field during practice after several players were slipping, according to CSN Bay Area.

The team ended up leaving the Levi's Stadium field, which was a disappointment to the many fans who were attending the 49ers final open practice of the season.

"The 49ers organization would like to apologize to any fans who were inconvenienced by today's practice ending early," the team said in a statement on Wednesday night. "We have determined the appropriate measures necessary to have the field ready for Sunday and look forward to hosting the San Diego Chargers."

The 'appropriate measures' apparently included tearing out all of the grass at Levi's Stadium, which the team started doing on Thursday morning.

Ironically, the Bandera Bermuda grass that was installed at Levi's in mid-April was picked because it was supposed to be able to withstand heavy foot traffic.

#49ers turf installer in April: It's exceptionally wear-resistant & quick to recover. Divots should be almost nonexistent in this stadium."

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Sod story: 49ers replacing new stadium grass