Grand Forks, ND (Alerus Center) – Alerus Center has begun the process of installing a new turf for the 2020 North Dakota Fighting Hawks Football season. The new, permanent turf will be installed by Kiefer USA. Kiefer USA’s turf reproduces all the characteristics of a well-maintained, natural grass playing field. Their innovative and revolutionary football system sets the standard for football systems, worldwide. Other notable installations by Kiefer USA include US Bank Stadium, TCO Performance Center (Minnesota Vikings Practice Facility), and University of Iowa to name a few.
“We are excited for the new look and feel the Kiefer USA and Turf Nation field will provide,” said Erik Martinson, Associate Athletics Director for University of North Dakota Athletics. “Working closely with the Alerus Center staff and fine tuning this project for the best look possible has been fun. Having a turf that is permanently down 100% of the time allows for a more uniform, safe, and flat field that gives this grass-like surface a real top tier look and feel for our studentathletes and our great fans attending at Alerus Center and watching at home.”
Because the turf is permanent, it will always be set in the arena rather than rolling in and out of the pit like the previous turf. When the building hosts events such as a concert, family show, or tradeshow, the turf will be covered by large plastic panels to ensure a secure flooring in order to host such events.
“We are very excited for the new turf as we transition to the Missouri Valley Football Conference,” said Spectra’s Anna Rosburg, General Manager of Alerus Center. “The permanent turf will also allow us to convert the building much faster from event-to-event, which will hopefully allow us to host even more events throughout the year!”
This project was slated to begin in July but has since been moved up due to the current COVID19 challenges. Currently, this project is one of Alerus Center’s top priorities as to ensure the new playing surface will ready for the North Dakota Football season.
“We are looking forward to playing on the new state-of-the-art field surface at Alerus Center,” said Bubba Schweigert, Head Coach of North Dakota Fighting Hawks Football. “The new turf is an upgrade to one of the finest NCAA football facilities in the entire country. We have always been proud to call Alerus Center our home and really appreciate all those responsible for this improvement to our home field.”
The North Dakota Fighting Hawks will be competing in the Missouri Valley Football Conference for the first time this season. The new conference means more regional competitors that will feature renewed past rivalries, including yearly bouts with longtime, instate foe North Dakota State. NDSU is slated to play at Alerus Center next football season (2021) for the first time since 2003 where UND would eventually win in overtime and hoist the since-retired Nickle Trophy.
The new turf will don the Fighting Hawks logo at midfield, the updated Alerus Center logo between the hashes, the distinct “NORTH DAKOTA” wordmark in the end zones, and, of course, the new Missouri Valley Football Conference logo.
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