After serving as a football field, a soccer pitch, a track meet site, a graduation venue, and various other school-related needs for more than a decade, the turf at Greene County High School’s Tiger Stadium is getting a refresh.
The Greene County Board of Education approved a measure to replace the turf in the stadium at the most recent board meeting held on April 18 at a cost not to exceed $994,395, which will come from ESPLOST funds, according to the BOE website.
Deluxe Athletics was chosen from three companies submitting proposals to do the work, including Deluxe Athletics (which bid $844,395), Sprinturf (which bid $655,335) and FieldTurf (which bid $886,750).
According to the BOE agenda published on the District’s website, “Sprinturf used the wrong proposal form, and they did not meet the minimum qualifications we stated were necessary for a respondent to be considered. Had Sprinturf used the correct form, it appears that their base price would have been slightly higher than Deluxe Athletics.”
The website also says that Deluxe Athletics installed the original turf at the Greene County football field as well as the turf at LOA’s baseball field and football field.
“Deluxe Athletics indicated to us that the crew working on our returf project would be the same crew that installed the original turf 12 years ago.”
According to Greene County School System Construction Manager Ralph Boswell, Deluxe Athletics included several potential deductive alternatives the BOE may consider, which will reduce the cost of the project.
Originally installed in 2011, the turf at Tiger Stadium has outlasted the average lifespan of a sports turf playing surface of eight to 10 years.
Deluxe Athletics will repair the drainage subgrade below the turf as required, provide and install new turf, and re-coat the track surface, according to project requirements.
The price rose toward the $1 million mark when School Superintendent Chris Houston mentioned that the pellets used in the original turf tended to get hot. Boswell said cooling technology could be incorporated at a cost of another $150,000 and suggested that since the track around the football field seemed to be in good shape, the BOE could spend less money on it and focus on the field.
Ultimately, the board seemed less than enthusiastic about that approach, preferring to upgrade everything while Deluxe Athletics was on site.
Boswell said he would work with Deluxe Athletics and come back with recommendations at the May meeting.
“We wouldn’t go into anything we think would be dangerous for the kids,” Boswell said.
There was an urgency to get the project going since the re-turf has to be completed between graduation and the start of football this fall.
The football results
So, how have the Tigers fared on their new artificial turf football field since it was installed?
The Tigers played their first game on the turf on Sept. 9, 2011, against Pike County. While the crowd loved the new look of the stadium, the Tigers lost 35-0 and went on to finish without a win at home.
Greene County got to play seven games on its home field in 2012 but lost the first four. The Tigers won on the new turf for the first time on Oct. 5, 2012, with a 62-3 shellacking of Social Circle.
New coach Robert Edwards finished his six-year tenure with a record of 16-15 record at home, including a playoff win at home in 2016.
Coach Larry Milligan got off to a hot start in 2018 and went 6-0 at home. However, his teams went 2-13 in his remaining three seasons on the home field.
Current head coach Terrance Banks is 9-2 at home in two seasons and 16-7 overall. However, the Tigers lost their first playoff game at home in 2022. They had won both of their previous playoff games on the home turf.
Overall, the Tigers are 33-30 on the turf in Greensboro.
In other business, the BOE:
Approved a budget adjustment to allow Lake Oconee Academy to exchange $219,000 of ESPLOST funds to its general funds' ledger to pay for technology safety and security equipment for buildings 800 to 1000 owned by LOA’s foundation. ESPLOST funds can’t be used because the BOE doesn’t own the property.
Announced summer hours starting Monday, June 3. GCSS offices will be open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Schools and offices will be closed on Fridays and July 4.
The GCSS will return to regular operating hours on Monday, July 22.