FAYETTEVILLE -- The grass football field at Reynolds Razorback Stadium will not be replaced this summer.

Prior to a Garth Brooks concert at the stadium on April 23, University of Arkansas Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek said he expected the field would need to be replaced due to anticipated damage. But a UA spokesman said Tuesday that the field was not damaged beyond repair and will not require replacement.

For the concert in April, plastic flooring was placed on top of the grass for nearly one week as the stage was constructed inside the stadium. Approximately 8,200 concertgoers had seats on top of the plastic during the concert.

A Topgolf event was also held at the stadium in early May, which allowed participants to hit golf balls from an elevated platform onto the field below.

Arkansas made the change from artificial turf to a natural grass strain known as Tahoma 31 at the stadium in 2019. Since then a second Tahoma 31 field has been maintained on a sod farm near Memphis in case the field in Fayetteville was damaged.

Replacement of an artificial turf football practice field south of the stadium began Saturday. The new turf field is expected to be installed by mid-July and will run alongside a grass field at the team's outdoor practice facility.

The Razorbacks are scheduled to begin preseason practice Aug. 5. Their season opener will be at Reynolds Razorback Stadium against Cincinnati on Sept. 3.

Print Headline: UA: Grass replacement not needed as expected

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