Louis Bonnette Field at Cowboy Stadium getting makeover

LAKE CHARLES – Louis Bonnette Field at Cowboy Stadium will undergo a face lift in the coming weeks.

A transformation to be exact as a new surface by Hellas Construction will be in place for the 2018 football season.

Lake Charles businessman and McNeese alum Robert Noland, who provided the funds for the first turf field, presented McNeese $935,000 with $650,000 of those funds to be used for the new Louis Bonnette Field. The remaining $285,000 has been used to purchase a second McNeese State University charter bus.

“We are very thankful to Robert Noland for his continued support and generosity to McNeese Athletics,” said Director of Athletics Bruce Hemphill. “Robert is a McNeese alumnus and a long-time contributor to not only the athletic department, but the university as a whole. He is a true, loyal and devoted friend who loves McNeese. He bleeds blue and gold.

“We’re also excited to be working with Hellas Construction,” said Hemphill. “They have the experience and ability to produce a quality product.”

Hellas Business Development Manager Amy Champion said, “It was time for replacement and Hellas reputation and quality made us the school’s first choice.”

Hellas is building it right from start to finish, handling the whole supply chain, which allows the school to work with only one company for everything. Hellas designs, manufactures, and produces the turf to ensure quality control and timely delivery. They use their own fleets of construction equipment and experienced crews to complete every project. Hellas does it all.

Champion said, “The renovation of Cowboy Stadium is a complex project, requiring subgrade remediation to ensure a stable, long-lasting foundation for the new turf field,” Champion said. “Hellas is going to get the job done right and it will be amazing.”

Hellas has a reputation in the sports construction industry of completing projects in time frames others find impossible. This type of leverage sets Hellas apart from the competition. No matter the project, Hellas delivers on time, every time, for every client, so they are ready for game day.

“Once all the construction of the subgrade is completed and the elastic layer is poured, the turf will only take about 24 days to install,” said Champion.

The new Louis Bonnette Field will feature Hellas’ patented Matrix Turf with Helix Technology and an elastic layer under the turf to provide an extra layer of protection for athletes.

The same artificial turf that McNeese selected for their field is the same turf installed at AT&T Stadium and The Star in Frisco Texas, home of the Dallas Cowboys, along with NRG Stadium, home of the Houston Texans. It’s the most resilient, stable, and durable monofilament fiber turf on the market. It consists of twisted fibers of two different blade colors, creating a more natural looking surface with enhanced playability that bounces back quickly after use, preventing “splash out” of the infill material. The product’s quality, performance, and longevity are unmatchable.

“It’s going to be a beautiful field that staff, coaches, students, and alumni will be proud to call home,” said Champion.

Demolition of the old turf has already begun while construction of the new field will need approval by the Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System before beginning.