New FieldTurf Recreation Field opens at HOF

The Pro Football Hall of Fame officially unveiled and opened to the public the FieldTurf recreation field this morning. A brief ceremony included remarks from Hall of Fame President/Executive Director Steve Perry, the Hall’s Vice President-Marketing/Operations Dave Motts and FieldTurf Tarkett Vice President/Sales Joe Galut.

The FieldTurf recreation field, valued at more than $300,000, was recently installed into the landscape adjacent to the museum’s Outdoor Events Plaza. The installation was the result of a recent partnership between the Pro Football Hall of Fame and FieldTurf. The FieldTurf recreation field covers 20,000-square feet and includes the same support and drainage systems utilized on the many FieldTurf fields in stadiums across the country.

“This great addition to our campus demonstrates that we are continuing to raise the bar as America’s premier sports showplace and museum,” commented Motts shortly after the installation began in early June. "Partnering with FieldTurf, a company that carries such a strong reputation, clearly aligns with the standards of the Pro Football Hall of Fame."

PHOTO GALLERY: Follow the progress of the Hall's latest renovation project (click on image above to launch gallery).

“With over 70% of the NFL teams playing and/or practicing on our turf, it is fitting that FieldTurf is installed for the Pro Football Hall of Fame," stated FieldTurf Tarkett CEO Joe Fields. "To be associated with such a prestigious organization is the ultimate honor. In addition to being player-friendly and voted amongst NFL players as the best turf in the league for six consecutive years, adding the FieldTurf product to the Hall of Fame’s new plaza is parallel to their reputation for quality and excellence. The selection of our turf by the Hall of Fame sums up the success of our product in the annals of professional sports.”

The FieldTurf system is fundamentally different than all others. It replicates a natural grass surface, but offers the durability and cost benefits of synthetic fields. FieldTurf is a safe alternative, resulting in a documented reduction of sports injuries. The sand and rubber infill system is the biggest technological development that the sport surfacing industry has seen in the last 25 years. This patented technology sets FieldTurf apart from all other sports surfaces.

FieldTurf is also the surface in Canton’s Fawcett Stadium, home to the annual enshrinement and Hall of Fame Game. Twenty-one of the National Football League's 32 teams have FieldTurf at their stadiums and/or practice complexes. More than 50 major NCAA universities have FieldTurf in their stadiums, with many more utilizing it at their practice sites. Also, Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays, Minnesota Twins and Toronto Blue Jays have FieldTurf at their respective stadiums.

Today’s unveiling came on the heels of the largest interior modernization project in the Pro Football Hall of Fame's 45-year history. The museum opened two new galleries, Moments, Memories & Mementos and Pro Football Today, in May.