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Project Profile:

NRG Stadium (Formerly Reliant) Temporary Soccer Field

Project Summary

NRG stadium hosted a series of international soccer matches, which can only be played on natural grass. The stadium has a state-of the-art modular tray system with natural grass, but was being renovated at the time. A temporary natural grass field had to be installed within a five day turnaround, and was made possible by a highly efficient ring and grid drainage layer - Draincore2, by Invisible Structures, Inc. Draincore2 and 1.5" thick sod was installed in 2.5 days, leaving 2.5 days for top dressing, painting and stripping. “We had to move extremely quickly and the Airfield system was the only option,” says Mike Courter of Airfield Systems, LLC, designers of the temporary grass field at NRG. “They [NRG Stadium] needed something that would live up to FIFA standards, but could be installed in a flash. That’s why they chose us and we use Draincore2.” Two international soccer matches were played on the field, July 8, 2003, before it was totally dismantled the next day. The dismantled system is owned by Turfgrass America and will be reused for other projects.

Address

NRG Parkway Houston, TX 77054

Install Size

8,740 m2 (94,000 sq ft)

Designer

Airfield Systems, LLC

Contractor

AirField Systems, Oklahoma City, OK, 405-359-3775

Project Gallery

A subsurface drainage system was installed in the Reliant Stadium Temporary Soccer Field, Houston, Texas, using Draincore2.
A large roll of Draincore2 is ready to be unrolled on top of the concrete floor of NRG Stadium.
Drainage geocomposite was installed in the Reliant Stadium Temporary Soccer Field, Houston, Texas, using Draincore2.
The components of the System: Draincore2 (bottom), Geotextile Fabric, and Sod. Since this installation was temporary, the sand root zone normally required for permanent installs, was not needed.
A drainage layer was installed in the Reliant Stadium Temporary Soccer Field, Houston, Texas, using Draincore2.
Workers wash and irrigate the installed turf. “I couldn’t even guess how much water we used on the system,” States Jon Strantz, Sportsfields and Grounds Manager for NRG Park. “But it handled it all.”
Drainage mats were installed in the Reliant Stadium Temporary Soccer Field, Houston, Texas, using Draincore2.
Workers re-roll the Draincore2 layer for storage. The Draincore2 and Lutradur© can be reused in different temporary or permanent installations of the Airfield System.
A subsurface water drainage system was installed in the Reliant Stadium Temporary Soccer Field, Houston, Texas, using Draincore2.
Removal of the sod exposes the fabric layer.
Underground drainage was installed in the Reliant Stadium Temporary Soccer Field, Houston, Texas, using Draincore2.
The completed installation took only three days and was ready to play in five. Two soccer matches were played on the field before it was dismantled.