LANSING, Mich. — China is spending about $40 billion on new venues and infrastructure for the Olympic Games, including a little help from halfway around the world for the turf in Beijing National Stadium.

Michigan State University has been hired as a consultant to assist with the growing and installation of the Kentucky bluegrass field at the 91,000-seat stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest.

More than 5,500 modules of the turf — each weighing 1,100 pounds — will be moved into place immediately after Friday's opening ceremonies.

The portable turf's toughest tests will be track and field competition and the Olympic gold medal soccer matches at the stadium.

Michigan State has a $270,000 contract for its role in Olympic turf preparation. That includes the consulting fee, as well as travel and lodging costs for team members.

The high-profile project is just the latest for the university's world-renowned turf management experts. Michigan State also worked on a turf project for the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

The Michigan State team first introduced portable turf at the 1994 World Cup at the Pontiac Silverdome. That event marked the first time World Cup soccer was played indoors.

"If we hadn't had that kind of experience, we wouldn't be involved in this project," said John 'Trey' Rogers, a Michigan State crop and soil sciences professor. "We definitely had to have credentials. They were insistent on that."

Representatives from Michigan State have been in China since May assisting with the project.

The grass is being grown about 5 miles away from the Beijing stadium. While Michigan State representatives are consulting on the project, the grass is cut and fertilized by Chinese crews.

Modules are made of the same type of plastic used for milk jugs. They are partially filled with pea stone to help drainage.

Plastic collars are placed around the modules so they can be filled with sand and soil. The grass and its roots hold the soil in place when the plastic collars are removed.

Forklifts will carry the modules onto trucks for the short ride to the Bird's Nest. In May, crews completed a trial installation in 24 hours, although the final installation may be done over a two-day period.

Unlike some other portable fields that have been managed by the Michigan State team, the Beijing turf will remain behind for future use in the stadium.