INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Capital Improvement Board has approved replacing the artificial turf used by the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The board, which operates the stadium and the Indiana Convention Center, voted Friday morning to have the playing surface removed and replaced after the completion of the 2023 NFL season.

The new field will be Hellas Matrix Turf, manufactured and installed by Hellas Construction at a cost of $1.2 million.

“We worked closely with the Colts to identify the best turf replacement options and are pleased that our winning bidder, Hellas Construction, will be providing us with a state-of-the-art field that will look great and provide the best surface for football,” Eric Neuberger, Stadium Director for Lucas Oil Stadium, told News 8.

Indianapolis is one of a handful of NFL locations that currently use what is known as slit film turf.

In November, the players’ union called for the league to ban slit film turf, saying it leads to higher in-game injury rates.

“The injuries on slit film are completely avoidable — both the NFL and NFLPA experts agree on the data — and yet the NFL will not protect players from a subpar surface,” NFLPA President JC Tretter wrote in an open letter to the league.

CIB officials expect the new turf to be installed after the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials to be held at Lucas Oil Stadium in June 2024.

Stadium officials also confirm the new turf would be protected during non-turf events (like a Taylor Swift concert) by a product called OmniDeck.

Crews place the deck on top of the field where it can withstand extreme loads from stages, semis, and all the fans and guests.

The current turf was installed in 2018.