Southwell Racecourse in England is this weekend set to become the first racecourse in Europe to be lit using LED technology.
The LED lighting, which will be ushered in on Saturday, has been designed and engineered by Musco Sports Lighting and features the same technology that has been installed at several Premier League football stadia, Manchester Arena and Wimbledon’s Centre Court in recent years.
The system will include 641 of Musco’s Total Light Control fixtures, mounted to 56 poles, providing high-quality lighting to the track, photo finish area, track, egress, stables, parade ring and car park.
Adaptive controls and multi-level dimming will allow the East Midlands venue to fully light only the sections of track being used for each race. Light-control technology will also prevent the light from spilling into the centre course, stands or outside of the venue, while special effects capabilities will create innovative pre-race and post-race light shows.
Mark Clayton, executive director of Southwell Racecourse, said: “When the decision was taken to install floodlights at Southwell, we were determined to make sure that the technology was top of the range, and we’ve been delighted to work with Musco to deliver this system.
“It provides fantastic light to the track, whilst minimising any light spill to any other area, which was a major objective of the project. Feedback from jockeys who have ridden under the lights so far has been fantastic, and we’re very much looking forward to welcoming a bumper crowd on Saturday to be a part of the big switch on.”
Jeff Rogers, president of Musco World, added: “We’ve successfully lit other racecourses in the UK but this is the first one using LED technology, and we’re fairly certain it’s the first one anywhere in the world.
“The team at ARC was outstanding to work with. They had very clear objectives from the start, which included achieving the best possible on-track light quality and visibility, avoiding glare, eliminating spill light outside the venue, being energy efficient, and creating an exciting new experience for spectators. We take a lot of pride in being their partner in the project, and are confident that everyone at Southwell will enjoy the results.”
Image: Arena Racing Company
