The field at the new Minnesota Stadium, home of the Vikings beginning in 2016, will be lit with high-performance LED stadium lights that offer more uniform light to improve the clarity of the playing surface for the benefit of fans in the stadium and those watching on high-definition television. It is also projected to consume 75% less energy as compared to a traditional metal halide stadium lighting system.
The new Minnesota Stadium, slated to open for the 2016 NFL season, will seat up to 72,000 fans, will be one of the most versatile facilities of its size, the team said. In addition the Vikings, it will host a wide assortment of events, including Super Bowl LII, in 2018, the 2019 NCAA Final Four, a potential Major League Soccer franchise, collegiate baseball and more. The facility’s lighting system will be provided by Ephesus Lighting, Syracuse, N.Y., powered by Cree LEDs.
“Over the past two years, sports and entertainment venue operators have come to understand that LED is the premier lighting solution and a great way to enhance the fan experience,” said Mike Lorenz, president of Ephesus Lighting. “The fact that this venue will be used for such a wide variety of events plays to the strength of our LED lighting solution as it’s versatile, flexible and programmable for many different events.”
The stadium’s lighting will include new color-tuning technology from Ephesus that “will allow the system to adjust the light output to match the activity being seen to create even more engaging experience for fan entertainment without adding new fixtures,” according to Joe Casper, Ephesus CTO.
The Minnesota Stadium will be the first new construction to use LEDs in the NFL, but Ephesus has quite a bit of experience, having relamped existing facilities including University of Phoenix Stadium for the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals, and The Canadian Tire Centre, home ice of the NHL’s Ottawa Senators.