Comparing Sand, Soil, Grass, and Infill Sports Fields

What are the true costs over a 10 year life cycle of traditional soil based field, sand based field, and turf field with infill?

SportTurf magazine of the SportsTurf Managers Association (STMA) March 2009 issue, article by Curt Harler, "Wetness and Wealth--Key Foes of Native Soil Fields", included a very informative sidebar with information from Dr. A.J. Powell, University of Kentucky. The figures below help explain the dichotomy in the question "Contractors Always Sell Grass First Really??"

Even if a new grass field may only net $5,000 profit (versus $100,000 for synthetic turf)

Knowing the risks of a grass Grow-In vs. an engineered system that can perform immediately--Surface performance unquestioned

Surface performance identical to the elite competitors

Few hidden costs with Engineered system

Easy to minimize maintenance costs of synthetic Infills--some spend zero dollars

Easy to exaggerate maintenance costs of grass--what the costs have been or should be

Comparing Sand vs. Infill
	Current-Sand Field	New Sand Field	New Infield (high end)
Initial Const.		$1,000,000	$1,000,000
Maint. 1st yr	$40,000	$40,000	$25,000
10 yr Maint.	$458,600	$458,000	$326,190
10 yr Total	$458,600	$1,458,600	$1,326,190
Avg Cost/yr	$45,860	$145,860	$132,619
Soil Based vs. Infill
	Soil Field Contract	Soil Field DIY	New Soil Field	New Infield
Initial Const.			$50,000	$600,000
Maint. 1st yr	$20,000	$7,000	$15,000	$3,500
10 yr Maint.	$229,358	$80,275	$172,018	$40,120
10 yr Total	$229,358	$80,275	$220,018	$640,120
Avg Cost/yr	$22,936	$8,028	$22,202	$64,012
Grass vs. Infill
	New Soil	Current Soil	New Sand	New Infield
Initial Const.	$50,000		$600,000	$800,000
Maint. 1st yr	$15,000	$15,000	$40,000	$25,000
10 yr Maint.	$172,018	$172,018	$458,600	$326,190
10 yr Total	$220,018	$172,018	$1,058,600	$1,126,190
Avg Cost/yr	$22,202	$17,202	$105,860	$112,619

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