Lighting strips to add 'pizzazz' to convention center

The Prairie Capital Convention Center could soon add a couple long dashes of color to its indoor atmosphere.

The center staff plans to open bids May 16 for installation of 200 feet of ribbon LEDs. Plans are for 100 feet to go on the north balcony over the arena, and the other 100 feet along the south balcony, said Brian Oaks, general manager of the building.

The concrete areas that front the north and south balconies run about 180 feet, he said, so the light strips will cover a pretty good section of those surfaces, Oaks said.

The center bought the lighting strips, which come in sections and are two feet high, at auction from the arena that formerly housed the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team. Oaks said the cost to buy and truck the lights to Springfield was less than $5,000. He said Monday he believes the installation will cost about $50,000.

The lighting strips, Oaks said, will add a little bit of pizzazz to the arena, but will also provide a display area for sponsors.

We expect this to be a revenue generator, Oaks said. We can also use it to welcome conventions to town.

Theres all different types of potential uses for it, he said.

A new system, with somewhat higher resolution lighting, could cost about $1 million, Oaks said.

Its a really good value, Oaks said of the used lighting.

The equipment brought from Pittsburgh also includes two rectangular LED screens, each 14 by 8 feet. The contract now out for bid is not for installation of those panels, which Oaks said could end up being used in an exterior display probably on the centers parking garage.

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Lighting strips to add 'pizzazz' to convention center