Putting Down Roots At New Stadium

The grass IS greener on the other side, as rugby and football teams who take on Swansea clubs at the new stadium will soon learn.

The pitch has now been seeded at the Council-funded £27 million building, and the care and attention being lavished on the new grass would put any keen gardener to shame.

The seed was scattered over two days last week by special machine, then finished by hand.

Growth is expected to appear within the next 2 weeks and a special lighting rig will be shipped in to ensure the new grass gets the optimum amount of light.

Over 24 million plastic inserts have already been stitched into the playing surface to give extra support to the roots, enabling the pitch to withstand the impact of around 60 games per year.

The stadium building itself is designed to ensure the grass stays in optimum condition. The pattern of clear plastic in the roof has been computer modelled to get the most favourable amount of light in, based on the building's location and orientation, and there are four open tunnels in the corners of the building to allow air to channel through.

Photo: Action Images

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