Natural grass or artificial turf? The $200M investment to keep Levi’s Stadium from turning into an ice rink

With Super Bowl LX just under a week away, Levi’s Stadium is under a microscope, and not just because the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks are coming to town. The real spotlight is on the field itself.

Levi’s Stadium has long carried a reputation as one of the NFL’s trickiest playing surfaces, particularly when temperatures dip and the Bay Area’s winter moisture sets in. Slippery footing, uneven turf, and complaints from players have followed the venue for years. With the Super Bowl approaching, and the World Cup later this year, the San Francisco 49ers and the league weren’t willing to take any chances.

That’s why the stadium underwent a $200 million renovation, one designed as much to protect the field as it is to modernize the fan experience.

Super Bowl LX to be played on renovated turf at Levi’s Stadium

Super Bowl LX will be played outdoors in February, at night, with global attention. The nightmare scenario would be a cold, damp evening where the field hardens, freezes, or turns slick, something critics have warned about at Levi’s during winter games.

Behind the scenes, significant investment has gone into ensuring the natural grass surface stays playable, flexible, and safe, even under prime-time conditions.

That includes:

• Advanced field heating and drainage systems
• New LED field lighting to help regulate turf health
• Updated maintenance technology to keep the grass consistent despite heavy use

Natural grass vs turf and why the NFL didn’t switch

In recent years, artificial turf has been at the center of heated debates about player safety. Many stars have openly pushed for natural grass, arguing it’s easier on joints and reduces non-contact injuries.

For the Super Bowl, the NFL made a clear stance that natural grass stays. Switching to turf may have reduced maintenance concerns, but it would have invited backlash from players, coaches, and the NFLPA during the league’s biggest event.

Instead, the solution was to invest heavily in infrastructure to make grass work, even in less-than-ideal conditions. That decision alone helps explain why the price tag climbed so high.

While the playing surface is the priority, the renovations go far beyond the grass. Levi’s Stadium has received:

• New 4K video boards, now the largest in the NFL
• Over 13,000 square feet of upgraded LED screens
• Renovations to more than 120 luxury suites
• New club spaces and open-air bars
• Frictionless concession technology
• Upgraded Wi-Fi built for Super Bowl-level traffic

All of it is designed to make the stadium feel less like a decade-old venue and more like a modern global showcase.

No amount of spending guarantees perfection, but the NFL and 49ers have done everything possible to make sure Levi’s Stadium doesn’t become the story for the wrong reasons. When the lights come on and kickoff arrives, nobody wants to be talking about footing, frozen grass, or injuries tied to the surface. If the field holds up, the $200 million will be worth it, because at the Super Bowl, the grass isn’t supposed to steal the spotlight.

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