District Officials Warming to Turf : Football: They appear close to approving artificial surface for Royal High’s new stadium.

After hearing a favorable medical report and finding that costs are lower than first estimated, Simi Valley Unified School District officials appear close to approving an artificial turf surface for Royal High’s proposed stadium.

“I think that if it is financially possible for the school district to purchase this surface, it sounds to me like that’s what the (Royal Stadium Committee) is going to recommend to the board of education,” Royal Athletic Director Terry Dobbins said.

Advocates of artificial turf say the stadium could be more widely used--by the school’s 150-piece band and community soccer teams, for example--without risking damage that such wear and tear would cause to a natural surface.

Much of the opposition to the construction of the only artificial turf field at a Southern California high school revolved around safety and cost.

But Dr. Stephen Rice, a noted orthopedist from the University of Washington medical school, spoke at an open stadium committee meeting last Friday and convinced many committee members that Comfort Turf, a sand-filled synthetic surface, is safe.

“I think that the doctor’s recommendations made a lot of sense to me,” said Judy Barry, a member of the stadium committee and the school board. “It appears from everything he said to be a very safe way to go.”

But Royal football Coach Gene Uebelhardt remains unconvinced. He said he was concerned about abrasions caused by artificial turf, and that the game would be faster, creating harder collisions.

Uebelhardt also questioned whether other teams would be willing to play on the surface. But Dobbins said there was little opposition at a meeting of Marmonte League athletic directors and principals Wednesday.

The cost of Comfort Turf has dropped and now seems more in line with the district’s budget--$3.1 million has been allocated for the entire stadium.

Lowell Schultze, the district’s chief business official, earlier this month estimated that installing Comfort Turf would cost about $500,000 more than grass. But after further examination, Schultze said the figure is closer to $400,000.

Greg Norfleet, executive director of U.S. sales for Sportfloor, which makes Comfort Turf, said the price of the turf--and all-weather track--for the Royal project is $1.1 million.

Uebelhardt and others in the anti-artificial turf camp have started their own committee to influence the school board, which will have the final say.

A community group consisting of those in favor of artificial turf earlier had spun out of the original school board stadium committee.

Barry said she expected the board’s stadium committee to vote on a final recommendation at its Feb. 16 meeting. The board will take up the issue at its March 7 meeting, Barry said.

Ground-breaking on the stadium is expected by April or May, with an opening in time for the 1996 football season.

Royal has not had an on-campus stadium since the school opened in 1968.