Lucas Oil Stadium will get new artificial turf, according to the board

Indianapolis, Indiana – The replacement of the Colts’ artificial turf at Lucas Oil Stadium has been approved by the Capital Improvement Board.

The playing surface will be taken out and replaced after the 2023 NFL season is through, according to a decision made on Friday morning by the board that runs both the stadium and the Indiana Convention Center.

The new field will be made of Hellas Matrix Turf, which will cost $1.2 million to build and install.

“We worked closely with the Colts to identify the best turf replacement options and are pleased that our winning bidder, Hellas Construction, will be providing us with a state-of-the-art field that will look great and provide the best surface for football,” Eric Neuberger, Stadium Director for Lucas Oil Stadium.

There are only a few NFL venues that now make use of slit film turf, including Indianapolis.

The players’ union requested that the league outlaw slit film turf in November, claiming that it causes more injuries to occur during games.

“The injuries on slit film are completely avoidable — both the NFL and NFLPA experts agree on the data — and yet the NFL will not protect players from a subpar surface,” NFLPA President JC Tretter wrote in an open letter to the league.

The new grass is anticipated to be installed following the 2024 U.S. Olympic Swim Trials at Lucas Oil Stadium, according to CIB officials.

The new turf will be protected by a product called OmniDeck for non-turf events (like a Taylor Swift concert), according to stadium officials.

The deck is set up on top of the field where it can resist heavy stresses from the semis, the stages, and all of the spectators.

The present turf was put in last year.