Eastern will have to wait until after Labor Day to see its infamous blue track surface surrounding O’Brien Field. 

Even after that, it won’t be able to see action because the surface takes a few weeks to cure, according to the Eastern Athletic Department.

The Panthers’ second home football game against Murray State, Sept. 22, is the desired date of completion. 

Whether the track is lined or not depends on the weather in the coming weeks.

Along with laying the turf in areas outside of the track, the construction crews are also finishing up cutting out pole vault landing areas and steeplechase sand pits this week. 

The sand pits will now be placed below the video board located on the north end of the stadium.

As for the football field, it has already been completed and the football team has held a number of practices on it. 

The turf is called a Hellas Matrix Turf, which can be found in several professional and collegiate stadiums, such as the Dallas Cowboys, the University of Idaho, and Baylor, Head Football Coach Dino Babers’ former team before joining the Panthers this season. 

In the June 21, issue of The Daily Eastern News, Mark Bonstetter, the senior associate athletic director, said all the renovations come in at total a cost of $3.2 million with the project being worked on by Hellas Sports Construction.

Anthony Catezone can 

be reached at 581-2812

or ajcatezone@eiu.edu.