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Williams-Brice Stadium Field May Need Makeover After Jay-Z and Beyonce Concert

Setting the stage for performers Beyonce and Jay-Z is no easy task, but will the concert could leave a mark on Williams-Brice Field, literally.

Columbia, SC (WLTX) -- Williams-Brice Stadium's field may need a make over after the Jay-Z and Beyonce concert next week, but there are plans in order to protect Gamecock territory.

"My goal is to September 1st, when the first game is played and when the fans walk in the stadium, there will be no sign that we had a concert," Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Turf and Landscape Clark Cox said.

Setting the stage for performers Beyonce and Jay-Z is no easy task, but will the concert could leave a mark on Williams-Brice Field, literally.

"The timing for us is a little different then we've ever had to deal with coming so close to the beginning of football season, but we've taken and made precautions, made arrangements and planned for the worst hoped for the best type of situation," Cox said.

Cox said they laid a protective cover on the entire field before show set up began. They expect some damage, but have turf ready to go to replace any areas that may need it.

"I would be lying to you if I said that it wasn't a little stressful then if we didn't have a show," Cox said. "But you know we have a good plan in place."

As soon as the show is over they will get to work with only a few days before the first kick off of the season. Meanwhile Senator Katrina Shealy has posted her concerns about the concert via social media.

"How much money are we really getting for this," Shealy said. "It's going to have to be a lot I hope and then how much money is the university making of this."

Shealy said she has concerns about the extra staffing, road closures and safety.

"As citizens of South Carolina we need to be concerned about how our money is being spent and make sure that we are being reimbursed because certainly the entertainers are making plenty of money of this," Shealy said. "I don't think we closed roads for six days for Kenny Chesney."

Shealy said her constituents have reached out to her for these answers. Even though she has had some negative responses, she said these questions have nothing to do with who the performers are.

"At the end of the day the bottom line is, is there money made or is it a losing proposition for the state of South Carolina," Shealy said.

Cox said he is confident the field will be ready to go for the first game which is September 1st.

Senator Shealy said she has reached out to the different entities she is concerned about for answers, but was only told a percentage of the ticket sales will go back to the university.

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