UTEP Sun Bowl gets grass for Sunday's Chivas soccer match

For the first time in more than 40 years, Sun Bowl Stadium will have live, fresh and all-natural grass.

The grass will be ready for Sunday's soccer exhibition game between Club Deportivo Guadalajara, known as Chivas in Mexico, and Brazil's Cruzeiro Esporte Clube. The game starts at 8 p.m.

Installation of the 1.5-inch thick grass began at 6 p.m. Wednesday and should be finished by the end of today, University of Texas at El Paso officials said. Precision Turf LLC out of Georgia is handling the installation.

It took 30 trucks to haul the 90,000 square feet of Bermuda grass from Gardner Turf in Santa Teresa to Sun Bowl Stadium.

The grass is being placed over the AstroPlay turf that is already installed in the Sun Bowl. A protective geo-turf cover will be laid in between the artificial turf and the natural grass, said Jorge Vasquez, UTEP's special events director.

The last time the stadium's playing surface was made out of grass was in 1973. The next year, AstroTurf was installed and in 2001 the new synthetic AstroPlay was installed.

The cost of the grass is estimated at more than $100,000 and it is being paid for by Soccer United Marketing, which is an affiliate of Major League Soccer.

Soccer United spokeswoman Marisabel Muoz said that grass is just a better playing surface for soccer.

"We seek the best option natural grass or FIFA approved turf for the elite clubs and national teams we host," Muoz said. "Therefore, natural grass will be brought in."

Vasquez said the grass is easier on players' knees and ankles.

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UTEP Sun Bowl gets grass for Sunday's Chivas soccer match