Hacker 82 Report Share Posted August 17, 2009 The propery across from Tim's is owned by the County and not the School Board. This property is the Bluestone Technology Park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMan 3,569 Report Share Posted August 18, 2009 The propery across from Tim's is owned by the County and not the School Board. This property is the Bluestone Technology Park. Exactly as I've stated multiple times in various threads...the TCSB does not own that property... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobster 20 Report Share Posted August 18, 2009 And we know that it is going to be developed really quick!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham-VT Fan 46 Report Share Posted August 18, 2009 And we know that it is going to be developed really quick!! Some of the infrastructure work will begin soon, but in terms of seeing some real development that could be a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gameball 10 Report Share Posted August 18, 2009 Well Michell Stadium really needs to remodel there bathrooms really can get pretty bad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeaverHokie 35 Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 What ever happened to the money they saved from putting down the rug, and not having to mow or paint anymore? Oh yeah, they already spent it. Take this for what it's worth, but a couple of years ago a gentleman who was very instrumental in putting down the rug told me they were looking into charging for parking. I was also told that the money the TCSB was paying the city of Bluefield was being put into a special fund so that when the carpet life was over (15 years), they would have the money to replace the rug, and rubber and sand underneath. So going on that assumption, 37,000 a year for 15 years is 555,000 dollars, which is about the cost of the rug with the prep work already being done. Why don't they just use the rug for 17 or 18 years and pay for the parking lot with the money they already have. If the city of Bluefield isn't very careful here, the TCSB will build a stadium. They already own about 500 acres of land across from Tim's BP on RTE 460. And they always have the middle school option. All they need to do is to try to gouge them some more and they will build, tradition or not........ Umm, how is it gouging the TCSB, if they charge the same amount for Graham, as they do for Bluefield High? And...you seem to be getting into micro-managing the City of Bluefield here...point is, there is a good reason to charge each school board $37,000 per year. The turf WILL need to be replaced at some point, the entire stadium DOES need preventive maintenance, the parking lot DOES need to be worked on. Plus...the idea of using the turf for 17-18 years seems pretty ridiculous, especially if it becomes unsafe due to wear. I doubt the city, or their insurer, wants to have to deal with a suit due to some kid getting hurt on 17 year old artificial turf. If the turf is meant to last for 15 years (and honestly, that sounds like it's stretching it), they're going to be VERY careful in attempting to extend it, and they certainly can not bank on that gamble right now in 2009. The idea that they saved money from putting down the turf is offset by the initial COST of the turf. I believe Mrs Shott gave them a lot of money toward the turf, but if the city had to pay for any of the prep work, that is going to offset the "savings" of the turf for the first few years. Considering how much it would cost for the TCSB to build even a halfway-decent stadium, it seems insane to suggest that the City of Bluefield needs to be "careful". They charge the same for each school board, and they charge a VERY REASONABLE amount to use the stadium. I think a lot of folks here want to convince themselves that the TCSB is being taken advantage of, no matter what the facts are, and no matter what it would cost the TCSB to build their own stadium. Never mind one that is even close to the size of Mitchell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobster 20 Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 When the field does wear out, will they not just go to the Shott's and get the money again? It does appear that they are "saving" money that could be put to good use now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaverborn 10 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 When the field does wear out, will they not just go to the Shott's and get the money again? It does appear that they are "saving" money that could be put to good use now. You may have missed it but Mrs. Shott is dead and they will not be anyone to go to for replacing the turf, the City will have to cough up the funds on their own. The life of Field Turf is about 10 years and the City was told it would have to be replaced in that time frame. They are supposed to have a "sinking fund" to accomodate that need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigD4VT 11 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 The life of these fields is supposed to be 15 years... but does anyone really believe they will stick to that? I'm not just talking about Bluefield but Tazewell, Russell, and anyone else who has one. I personally don't think they will ever replace the entire carpet at once. Not when they can remove a bad section with a utility knife and glue a new piece in it's place. The whole thing is just patched together to begin with so it's not like the integrity of the field will suffer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futbolking 766 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 The home team makes over $50,000 just on the Graham - Bluefield game alone....what's the problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted Account 5,203 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 The life of these fields is supposed to be 15 years... but does anyone really believe they will stick to that? I'm not just talking about Bluefield but Tazewell, Russell, and anyone else who has one. I personally don't think they will ever replace the entire carpet at once. Not when they can remove a bad section with a utility knife and glue a new piece in it's place. The whole thing is just patched together to begin with so it's not like the integrity of the field will suffer. I've had experience with FieldTurf since 2005, when it was installed at UVA's intramural fields. Trust me, it's not going to last 15 years. It's had enough trouble at UVA lasting 5... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeaverHokie 35 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 I've had experience with FieldTurf since 2005, when it was installed at UVA's intramural fields.Trust me, it's not going to last 15 years. It's had enough trouble at UVA lasting 5... I think a lot will have to do with how much use a field gets. Admittedly, an intramural field gets almost daily use, especially in the warmer seasons. But then...Mitchell Stadium gets a fair amount of use, compared to most football stadiums. Bluefield High plays 5 home games there (generally), Graham plays 5 home games, and I am guessing the two middle schools (Bluefield and Graham) each play 4 games each. Plus....any little league stuff. I'm no expert on that turf, but I'd guess that the life will be in the 10-15 year range, with some minor patching necessary in that 7-10 year period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted Account 5,203 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 I think a lot will have to do with how much use a field gets. Admittedly, an intramural field gets almost daily use, especially in the warmer seasons. But then...Mitchell Stadium gets a fair amount of use, compared to most football stadiums. Bluefield High plays 5 home games there (generally), Graham plays 5 home games, and I am guessing the two middle schools (Bluefield and Graham) each play 4 games each. Plus....any little league stuff. I'm no expert on that turf, but I'd guess that the life will be in the 10-15 year range, with some minor patching necessary in that 7-10 year period. Fair points, and I have to agree with your logic here. I still don't think it'll last the full 15 unless there is significant patching done. But it should be fine for a fair while if they keep the elements off it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigD4VT 11 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 I don't think the elements will hurt it. The "grass" is just plastic attached to a rubber mat. The wear will come from foot traffic digging the fibers loose from the mat (already happens), and fibers losing their ability to stand up like real grass in the areas of the field that get the most traffic. That's why I think some parts of the field, out of bounds, near the sidelines, end zones, etc., will never really wear out. Look at a real grass field. The heavy wear is between the hash marks and around the bench area. These fields will wear the same way. The people who make, sell, and install them are of course going to tell you to replace the entire thing at once... but if you look at their websites you will also see them offering "Maintenance Services". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted Account 5,203 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 I don't think the elements will hurt it. The "grass" is just plastic attached to a rubber mat. The wear will come from foot traffic digging the fibers loose from the mat (already happens), and fibers losing their ability to stand up like real grass in the areas of the field that get the most traffic. That's why I think some parts of the field, out of bounds, near the sidelines, end zones, etc., will never really wear out. Look at a real grass field. The heavy wear is between the hash marks and around the bench area. These fields will wear the same way. The people who make, sell, and install them are of course going to tell you to replace the entire thing at once... but if you look at their websites you will also see them offering "Maintenance Services". It's a bit more complex than this. The mat itself is rubber particulate, crumb-sized ground-up tires, which works with the base of the installation to keep the synthetic grass springy. It's harder than you state to dig the fibers loose from the mat, as they're actually pretty resilient; the biggest problem is picking up rubber particulate from the field and tracking it off with you in your socks and shoes. The biggest problem is the grass matting down on the field, which makes the field lose its grassy consistency. There are two causes of this. The main one is continued traffic on the field, which as you state occurs mostly between the hashes and closer to midfield. The second one comes from the passage of time in the elements: rain and snow tend to bog the particulate down, almost as if there were millions of droplet-sized feet smashing into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigD4VT 11 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 Not sure about Mitchell, it's a different type of turf than Richlands and Honaker have, but the "rubber particulate" is the infill that sits on top of the mat. The actual mat is a solid sheet of rubber that the fibers are attached to. Like carpet, except it's made of rubber and plastic. The infill is dumped on top of the carpet and brushed in with a machine. That's what makes the fibers stand up like real blades of grass. The infill does track off in shoes but it's nothing to worry about because there is so much of it and such a small amount being tracked off. They may need add more from time to time but it won't take much. There are always loose fibers laying on the field. Cleats dig them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobster 20 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 Ms. Shott may have passed away, but the Shott Foundation is still going strong and is well endowed. It will still be giving money away when we're all dead and gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hacker 82 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 Ms. Shott may have passed away, but the Shott Foundation is still going strong and is well endowed. It will still be giving money away when we're all dead and gone. Just a quick reminder that June Shott's gifts to the community came from her and her late husbands estate. The Shott Foundation is a separate thing altogether. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nadoball 18 Report Share Posted August 21, 2009 Does tazewell plan in the near future to put the turf down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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