In Michigan, 500 sugar maple trees are harvested for a special project. Ten miles of boards are cuts from the trees, dried, and made into floor panels that fit together. They are assembled, sanded, stained, painted, measured, finished, and disassembled. Almost 40 tons of flooring travel 2,300 miles to be installed at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona for the NCAA basketball tournament Final Four games. ESPN has a photo essay that follows the preparation of the floor from trees to tipoff (with some video, too). It does not explain what happens to the floor after tonight's championship game.
(Image credit: Ross Dettman)
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It doesn't. I'm sure it would either stay at the U. of Phoenix or go someplace else that needs a floor. But that's the part of the story that wasn't told.
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How does a bunch of sweaty guys in rubber soles shoes chasing a ball render a wooden floor unreusable?
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I'm surprised that they make the floor anew - I thought they just take out whatever floor they have and repaint the logos.
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