City of Missoula mulls pros, cons of turf options at Allegiance Field

MISSOULA — More than 20 years after the opening of Ogren Park at Allegiance Field, the Missoula Paddleheads have won several Pioneer League championships, and while concerts have come and gone over the years, the stadium holds a storied chapter in the city's recent history.

But it's now poised for a new chapter. What form that will take remains uncertain.

Big Sky Professional Baseball and the City of Missoula are hashing out plans to replace the stadium's aging turf. As the owner, the city has offered to fund the field's replacement with new natural grass at a cost of roughly $1.6 million.

But Big Sky Professional Baseball wants to expand the field's use to year-round and has offered to cover the added cost of installing synthetic turf. Doing so would enable “rectangular” sports to us