The grass will be greener at Paul Brown Stadium this year because stadium managers are going to replace it more often.

        Hamilton County commissioners were told Monday there will be fresh grass waiting in the wings, starting this year, that will allow county officials to schedule as many events as possible at the $455 million taxpayer-financed facility.

        Commissioner Todd Portune asked stadium managers to research playing surfaces at other NFL stadiums and recommend whether an artificial field should be installed at Paul Brown Stadium.

        Mr. Portune's request came after a standoff between the county and the Bengals last fall over whether high school marching bands would perform during halftime of high school playoffs. Commissioners eventually met in special session on a Friday night and ordered the Bengals to allow the bands on the field.

        Doug Bradley, head groundskeeper, said he will start a sod farm this spring that will allow him to resod the center of the field for about $5,000. That can be done three or four times a year, depending on the amount of use, he said.

        The sod farm won't be established in time for this football season, however. So Paul Brown Stadium Management Ltd., the stadium management arm of the Bengals, said they have budgeted $75,000 this year for resodding.

        Mr. Bradley said most NFL grass fields are changed two or three times a year.

        “If it takes three or four resoddings in a year, we'll do it,” Assistant Stadium Manager Joe Feldkamp said.

        Mr. Feldkamp said it would cost between $600,000 and $900,000 to install an artificial surface because the county would have to rip out the irrigation and heating systems.

        Commissioner Tom Neyer said he's “comfortable” with the recommendation to stay with grass.

        Mr. Portune said that's fine with him, so long as the argument that marching bands and pee-wee football players will hurt the field ends with the decision.

        “I'm serious. I don't want to go through another week like we did last fall,” Mr. Portune said.

        Reporter Mark Curnutte contributed.
       

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