Game on! Motel 6 Cactus Bowl preparations underway at Chase Field in Phoenix

PHOENIX — With Arizona’s college football bowl game season right around the corner, the grounds crew at Chase Field has been working hard to transform the baseball diamond into a full-sized football field.

(KTAR Photo/Mike Sackley)

The 90,000 square feet of fresh Bermuda sod and constructed bleachers to seat more than 3,500 fans are just two of the preparations in place for the Jan. 2 Motel 6 Cactus Bowl.

Chase Field Head Groundskeeper Trenbeath said with 10 days to construct the bleachers and the completion of the sod-laying by Wednesday, crews still have a ways to go.

“We’ll come back, put the first coat of paint on Monday or Tuesday of next week,” he said. “In one sense, the work really just kind of begins after the sod goes down.”

This is the first time the bowl game has been held at the field since 2005. Starting in 2006, the game was held at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, but renovations to the facility have moved it back to Phoenix.

(KTAR Photo/Mike Sackley)

Cactus Bowl’s Game Operations Director Justin Balich said he hopes fans will enjoy the unique experience of having a football game at a baseball stadium.

“You’ve got great visibility to the field, a unique atmosphere and a large video board to watch the game on too,” Balich said. “The fans will definitely see a different style of football (because) it’s at a baseball stadium.”

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton said the Cactus Bowl’s relocation to downtown Phoenix should bring a large economic impact to the area.

“I just know that it’s going to be a fun and festive atmosphere in downtown Phoenix,” he said. “A lot of bars and restaurants are going to do well that night.”

This year’s Cactus Bowl will pit Arizona State and West Virginia against each other. This is the first time Arizona State has been in the Cactus Bowl at Chase Field since defeating Rutgers University in 2005.

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