First steps of lighting work begins at Lyons Stadium

Mike Hoskins paints a circle where a new light pole will be installed at Lyons Field as Jerry Brown, Musco Lighting field sales representative notes the location.

Lyons Stadium and Bushwhacker Field in Nevada are getting a lighting makeover and will soon have lights that meet the National Baseball Congress standards. Jerry Brown, Musco Lighting field sales representative, was in town Thursday to make some preliminary measurements and mark the placement of the poles needed.

"The first thing is to prepare the base of the poles," Carol Branham, Nevada Parks and Recreation director, said. "The poles themselves are ready to deliver and the light assemblies are being manufactured and will be ready to go in about five weeks."

The new lights will put more light on the baseball fields and let less light spill into other areas, so it doesn't bother neighbors, while at the same time saving energy.

The contract calls for a system that puts 70 foot-candles of light on the infield and 50 foot-candles on the outfield.

"We've never even been close to that before," Mike Ast, Nevada Parks and Recreation facilities manager said. "Before we were thankful that they just came on."

"This puts light where it's needed," Brown said. "It cuts down on glare and doesn't waste energy lighting areas that don't need light."

The lights are also connected to the manufacturer through a network connection that allows the manufacturer to monitor the condition of the lights.

"It will go through their server, and they will monitor our system," Branham said. "We won't need to call them if there is a problem, they will call us."

Upgrading the lighting system will also mean more opportunities for other groups to use the fields.

"We partner with Nevada R-5 sports and the Nevada Griffons among other groups," Branham said. "In addition to that we will be able to host collegiate level games."

The system will cost $210,000 for the light system and $51,500 to install it on the two ball fields.

"That price includes a 25- year or 5,000 hour guarantee on all the hardware and the lamps," Brown said. "At the end of the period all the lamps will be replaced."

Musco Lighting, a company from Oskaloosa, Iowa, has been selected by a wide variety of groups to provide illumination for a variety of settings. It is the official lighting supplier for Little League Baseball, the Amateur Softball Association, Babe Ruth League, Inc. and the U.S. Soccer Foundation. It was also selected to light Disney's Wide World of Sports complex, a state of the art complex with facilities for more than 30 sports.