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Drought-resistant infrastructure is one strategy UNLV uses to remain sustainable in the Mojave Desert's unrelenting heat. Since 1988, we have replaced traditional grass with xeriscape and artificial turf to curb excess water consumption.
The Fertitta Football Complex installed artificial turf in 2003 as part of our ongoing effort to reduce water consumption. In Spring 2023, a project team led by Matt Ivie, senior project manager with Planning & Construction (P&C), created a game plan to keep our student-athletes on the offensive during a complete turf replacement. “Knowing summer practice was on the horizon, we phased the project between the two fields to keep one available for the team,” Matt says.
The practice fields at Fertitta Football Complex are made of ALLSPORT XP turf designed to hold the GeoCool infill in place. GeoCool infill is a Class 1 infill designed to reduce surface temperature, splashes, bumps, and potholes. With temperatures soaring well over 100º during summer practices, this particular infill provides cushioning while making the surface cooler for our football players to prepare for another successful season.
To ensure the new turf met strict safety standards, the project team enlisted the help of John Tomola, occupational safety program manager for Risk Management & Safety (RMS). John conducted the RMS review to ensure the multi-step process of grading the area, placing infill, and adding new turf met safety standards. “The amount of infill can affect the traction or the way the surface reacts and softens falls. We had to strike a balance between performance and maintaining the safety and well-being of the athletes,” Matt says.
Matt also worked with Eric Schwartz, associate athletic director, Brittany Meade, assistant athletic director for facilities and sport operations, and Hunkie Cooper, director of football player development and community engagement, to wrap up the turf replacement with a live test. The UNLV Athletics contacts gathered a few UNLV football team members to try out the new turf. After some route running and real-time drills, the new turf was given an a-okay and the team continued practices as usual.
We like to think that the new turf gave the team an advantage. The 2023 season was one for the record books. The team finished with a 9-5 record, a four-win jump from the previous season. It was also UNLV Football’s first time playing 14 games in a season and their first bowl game berth in almost 10 years! As an added bonus, the away team in this year’s Super Bowl, the San Francisco 49ers, held practices at the Fertitta Football Complex. “It’s great to be able to host a world-class football team here at UNLV. It brings recognition to our program and facilities,'' Matt says.
Since 1983, UNLV has completed over 33 projects to replace more than 1.3 million square feet of natural grass, saving over 77 million gallons of water annually! Our commitment to sustainability shapes our vision for the future and how we train our student-athletes. There are currently plans to convert the softball, baseball, and soccer fields to artificial turf. Our Rebel athletes can practice hard and rest assured that Matt and the team have a sustainable solution to keep them on the field and winning big.
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