FRISCO — The artificial playing surface at TDECU Stadium suffered “significant damage” earlier this spring that may not be fixed until after the football season, University of Houston athletic director Eddie Nuñez said.
“It’s going to be two options, either a quick-fix and then come back and fix it permanently, or can we fix it permanently now to not have to come back after football season,” Nuñez said at the Big 12’s spring business meetings.
School officials discovered “damage to multiple areas of the playing surface” that made the made the turf “unsafe to play on,” according to a statement released this spring, The damage forced the Cougars to relocate their spring game.
A crane company hired by the church was responsible for the setup, which involved a large stage that covered most of the area from the end zone to the 20-yard line on the west side of the stadium.
Nuñez said one option would be to fix the upper layers of the turf field, making it safe to play, and address the rest of the damage at the end of the season.
By waiting to completely fix the damage, Nuñez said the school would not be able to use the stadium for any other revenue-generating events. A decision on what option the school takes will depend on how quickly any potential legal issues are resolved. Nuñez is hopeful to have an answer by early June.
“There’s a short-term remedy, but that’s all it is, a short-term remedy,” Nuñez said. “For the student-athlete’s health and well-being it’s good for them to play and compete on it. But there’s long-term effects.
“It’s like if you have a cracked wall and you go paint it. You might think it looks pretty, but that’s still a cracked wall. You might be able to walk right by and nobody would notice it but it’s still a cracked wall and it’s going to fail.”
UH opens the season at home Sept. 5 against Oregon State.