Rodeo dirt fun facts

Here are some little-known facts about the dirt that's used to fill the floor of the AT&T Center for the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo:

• The rodeo arena soil was purchased from near Charlotte, TX in 1988.
• The AT&T arena requires approximately 1,600 cubic yards or 2,160 tons of soil.
• It takes approximately 70 truckloads to move the soil from our on-site storage location into the AT&T arena.
• 12 volunteers load and move all the soil in, spread and level it to grade and have it ready for pens to be set in 7 hours. After the show, it is removed and restacked in approximately 5 hours.
• The arena soil is maintained at a depth of 10 to 12 inches throughout. Volunteers periodically chisel the soil where needed and drag a "roterra" over it to keep the surface uniform before every performance. Water is added as needed to maintain the proper moisture content.
• We blend in sand and other materials as needed to maximize the performance of our animal athletes.
  The soil gets screened every other year. We have a baseball infield cover to cover it with when needed to control the moisture content.
• The cost to purchase the "dirt" delivered to the AT&T center arena would be at least $20,000 - $25,000 per year.