Honduras News - Daily News about Honduras

by SOLOMON CRENSHAW JR.

The proposed soccer game between the U.S. Men’s National Team and Honduras will happen if officials with the Alabama Sports Foundation are able to balance deals with the Birmingham Park and Recreation Board and United States Soccer Federation.

The Birmingham Park and Recreation Board on Wednesday offered a contract to the Alabama Sports Foundation. It agreed to delay installing artificial turf at Legion Field until after the game, which tentatively is set for April 11. It also wants the ASF to pick up any extra cost due to the delay.

A park board consultant estimated that installation costs could rise as much as 5 percent with increases in costs of equipment, fuel and labor.

“The ball’s in their court,” said Park and Recreation Director Melvin Miller, of the ASF. “We’ll hear what they have to say.”

The Birmingham City Council last fall approved $778,160 for an artificial turf, replacing the natural grass that was installed for Olympic soccer in 1996.

Shannon Ealy, the vice president of the ASF, said timely action on this matter is also critical.

“There’s urgency on our end as well to notify U.S. Soccer,” he said. “U.S. Soccer has not given us a drop-dead date for a decision but out of courtesy to the relationship that we have with U.S. Soccer, we certainly owe them a response sooner than later so they can announce it’s coming here or they can begin dialogue with other cities.

“We’re analyzing the business deal we have to have with U.S. Soccer, coupled with the deal the park board has brought to us, and just see if it is feasible and financially available to work.”

Workers have aerated the grass at Legion Field and removed the painted emblems left from the past football season. Seed has not yet been sown but the grounds crew says there is still time to get the field ready.

“We’re heading in that direction and once they tell us what they’re going to do, we’ll open the floodgates and get ready for the game,” Miller said. “And if not, we’ll move forward with replacing the turf.”