Transformation begins at Levi's Stadium ahead of Super Bowl 50

Super Bowl 50 is now less than one month away and the transformation has begun at Levi's Stadium.  Crews are hard at work laying down 75,000 square feet of new turf, which is standard operating procedure for the Super Bowl.

George Toma is leading the charge, transforming a field of dirt into a field of dreams.  Sports Illustrated once dubbed him "the nitty gritty dirt man."   The 86 year old has worked on 50 Super Bowls helping install new grass, a duty he calls a "great honor and privilege."  

The NFL says it is aware of the problems the 49ers have had in the past with the turf at Levi's Stadium and that they do have a back-up plan; they have extra sod along with tarps in case of rain or freezing conditions. 

Each piece of grass weighs about 40 pounds, and has to be extra tough to withstand the pregame shows and halftime rehearsals before the big game begins.  The NFL's field director says the grass they use is real, but it is grown on plastic, making it thicker, tighter and stronger.  The NFL is also preparing practice fields at San Jose State and Stanford.  

Outside the stadium, two giant tents are going up in the parking lot.  There are rows and rows of metal barriers that will be used to drive foot traffic and on the stadium itself, a team of three people worked to unfurl a huge billboard of the Lombardi Trophy.