Q: With all the dirt required in the Georgia Dome for the supercross and Monster Jam events, how is the football field protected and how is the dirt removed after the events so the artificial turf isn’t damaged?
—Don Nanney, Peachtree Corners
A: The turf in the Georgia Dome isn't removable, so the staff protects it during those annual events. It's first covered by a field tarp. A layer of plastic is placed on top of that, which is then covered by two layers of plywood. "The dirt never touches the turf," spokesman Jason Kirksey told Q&A on the News. "It's completely covered."
Dump trucks haul the dirt into the stadium, where it’s spread and then sculpted by the Monster Jam and supercross staffs to fit the needs of the events. The setup process for Monster Jam takes about two days and about three or four days for supercross.
Monster Jam, which features large trucks, is scheduled for Jan. 10. There are Monster Energy AMA Supercross events scheduled for the Georgia Dome on Feb. 21 and 28, which will require the dirt to remain in the stadium for an entire week. “They’ll use the same dirt to sculpt another track for the second race,” Kirksey said. Most of the dirt is removed by large equipment until shovels and brooms are needed to finish the cleaning. Monster Jam and supercross events have been held at the Georgia Dome for “nearly 20 years,” Kirksey said.
Andy Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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