Wild Things Park Playing Surface Being Replaced
WASHINGTON, Pa. (Dec. 12) – The Washington Wild Things are pleased to announce the playing surface at Wild Things Park is being replaced. Work is scheduled to begin Friday, December 13, weather permitting, on the removal of the current turf and soon the installation of a new FieldTurf synthetic turf system at Wild Things Park will begin, incorporating a new design with FieldTurf’s state-of-the-art XTHD-50 artificial surface.
It marks the first time the turf playing surface at the ballpark will be replaced following its installation prior to the 2011 season. The new surface is an investment in both baseball and the community, as more than 100 professional baseball games, more than 200 youth and amateur games, concerts, community events, festivals, wrestling shows and more happen at the stadium each year.
“This project has been in the planning stages for some time, and we’re excited to have it underway. The new turf will not only be striking, but it will ensure that the playing surface is safe. As always, we are extremely grateful for the support that we receive from our partners,” said Francine W. Williams, Esq., the team’s managing partner. “Updates like the new turf make it possible for ‘your team,’ the Washington Wild Things, to enter our 23rd year of Frontier League Baseball and beyond!”
FieldTurf, a world leader in artificial turf with over 25,000 installations worldwide, will serve as the contractor to install the new surface. The Wild Things will install FieldTurf’s Double Play Natural surface which is designed as a baseball-specific surface and uses a scientific approach to analyze ball to surface interaction with criteria of speed, line and bounce.
Numerous NFL stadiums, soccer venues, college football surfaces, and college baseball parks including at Tennessee, Oregon State, Texas, Louisville, Oregon, James Madison and others have also installed turf from FieldTurf. In fact, the surface in Joliet is a FieldTurf system.
“The installation of the new FieldTurf surface reflects the commitment the Wild Things organization makes to providing a top-tier facility for players and fans alike,” said Connor Schlegel, Field Turf Regional Sales Manager. “We are excited to be a part of the organization’s continued efforts and can’t wait to unveil the finished product to the community.”
Like many baseball facilities and the current surface, the turf design will feature a brown infield. The current surface at Wild Things Park is a solid green look in the infield and outfield, but the new design will feature green shading in stripes in both spots. The infield, pitcher’s mound and batter’s boxes will feature the same brown as each other. The Wild Things throwing logo with Wild Things text will be prominently featured behind home plate.
The surface will feature the logo of Coen on both baselines. The partnership with Coen is a multi-year deal, aligning a community-driven brand and company with the Wild Things, an organization invested greatly in Washington County as well as the tri-state region and its people.
“Coen has been part of Washington County for over 100 years, so when the opportunity to become a permanent fixture at the Washington Wild Things Park was presented to us – the answer was easy,” said Andrea Neurohr, Vice President, Marketing, at Coen. “We’re very excited to see our brand become part of the new turf, and to provide our Coen Pepperoni Rolls to fans during the 2025 season.”
The renovations will be funded by sponsorship, grant funds and the ownership of the team.
“The Washington Wild Things are a strategic asset for Washington County on several levels. For our tourism efforts, they attract thousands of fans to the county each year for home games and promote the county when the team is on the road. In addition, they are an economic driver as visitors patronize local businesses-both before and after each home stand,” said Jeff Kotula, President, Washington County Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Promotion Agency. “However, for any team to succeed, they must reinvest in their product and facility. That is why we are excited the team is utilizing both public and private resources to invest in a new field that will increase both the fans’ and players’ experience at Wild Things Park and continue to drive business to our area.”
Wild Things Park continues to be the home of the PennWest California Vulcans baseball team, McGuffey and Washington High School baseball, the WPIAL baseball championships, youth tournaments and more, and that’s just in the baseball department.
“We are so appreciative of the efforts and support from all partners involved on this project. The Wild Things are a pure reflection of the tri-state community, and these upgrades ensure we will continue on for the foreseeable future,” said president and general manager Tony Buccilli. “This venue is a proud community asset that has a focus in bringing people together and creating memories. Our goal remains to enhance the quality of life in this region by making the ballpark a second home for everyone.”
The turf will continue to not allow weather to have a major impact on events at the ballpark. The drainage system, which was installed prior to the current surface’s installation still drains more than 400,000 gallons an hour, which equates to 10 inches of rain an hour. The new surface has an eight-year warranty but should last 12-15 years with the team doing minor maintenance work.
The first baseball game to be played on the new surface is scheduled for February 15, 2025, when the Vulcans take on Mansfield University.
A live stream of the project’s work will be available on the Wild Things’ YouTube page at youtube.com/@WashWildThings. The club is also planning a series of stories and social media posts as construction happens to compliment the project.
The Wild Things open their season on the road Friday, May 9, 2025, and the home opener is scheduled for Tuesday, May 13 at 7:05 p.m. Season tickets, group packages and premium areas are available now by calling 866-456-WILD or by going to washingtonwildthings.com. Fans can also follow the team’s social media pages and site for news, including on X, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok and YouTube. Search @WashWildThings, go to youtube.com/@WashWildThings or go to facebook.com/washingtonwildthings.
