Better Play Today: Panama City Beach Launches Multi-Million Dollar Artificial Turf Project
In Panama City Beach, Florida, one of the region's most significant sports tourism drivers is about to get even more playtime.
.png)
In Panama City Beach, Florida, one of the region's most significant sports tourism drivers is about to get even more playtime. Publix Sports Park is launching a $4 million renovation project to replace three grass fields with artificial turf, bringing the park's total to 12 turf fields.
The investment, funded by local tourism taxes, aims to expand access to youth sports, reduce maintenance, and minimize any weather-related disruptions to play. As Visit Panama City Beach CEO, Dan Rowe, put it, artificial turf allows play to resume "as soon as the rain stops," helping families make the most of their time at the beach. Rowe said he hopes for work on the three new artificial turf fields to be finished in October.
Since opening in 2019, Publix Sports Park has helped book more than 120,000 hotel rooms and generated an estimated $56 million for the local economy. With the new turf fields, the park will be able to host a broader range of sports activities, including baseball, fast-pitch softball, and lacrosse – all on more consistent, high-quality surfaces.
Recycled Rubber News
New Artificial Turf Is Installed At Merrill Green Stadium For The Third Time In 13 Years (WTAW): In April 2025, Bryan ISD school board members awarded a nearly $700,000 contract to replace the artificial turf at Merrill Green Stadium. The installation was celebrated at Monday night's school board meeting (July 21) by superintendent Ginger Carrabine, who commented on the excitement of students ahead of football season.
Australia turns scrap rubber into rail armor in clever track-stabilizing trial (Interesting Engineering): A two‑year field trial on a live Sydney Trains freight line has shown that a recycled rubber track underlay can slow ballast degradation and keep tracks level under constant heavy loading, giving rail operators a low‑cost tool to extend the life of their infrastructure.
Cleveland Heights Invites Community to Celebrate New Upgrades at Denison Park with Youth Soccer Clinic and Event (Hoodline): Residents of Cleveland Heights are in for some fresh fun and physical activity with the upcoming revamp of Denison Park. The City of Cleveland Heights has extended an invitation to the community for an evening of celebration on Tuesday, August 5, at the park. The city hall's announcement also revealed the completion of the new synthetic turf soccer field, with SCG Fields confirming the project will wrap up early next week.
What We're Reading
Final Thoughts
Communities worldwide continue to incorporate recycled rubber into their parks, playgrounds, and other recreational areas. We're also seeing recycled rubber materials used in new ways, such as on railroad tracks in Australia, to help prevent degradation.
At The Better Play Initiative, we're watching closely as more cities follow suit, and it's amazing to see so many designing public spaces that work harder for their communities.
A reminder that you can find the latest research on recycled rubber in one place at BetterPlayToday.org. Thank you for reading, and make sure to leave your thoughts in the comments!
Have any questions, or are you interested in getting involved? Reach out at media@betterplaytoday.org.
