When Newburgh Baseball Association
outgrew their downtown fields, they needed
to develop a new complex that was low
maintenance and affordable over a long
period of time. When it came to lighting,
contractor and Newburgh Jr. Baseball
Association volunteer Paul Rundus says,
“We never considered anything but Musco
because of what we’ve seen over the years.
It’s the state-of-the-art.”
“When the fields are lit, it’s just gorgeous. We do love it,” Paul Rundus
Background
Newburgh, with a
population of 3,200, is
a historic community
located on the banks of
the scenic Ohio River.
Their baseball program
began in 1947 and games
were played on two fields
donated by the local Kiwanis.
In 2000, Warrick County Council donated
land to construct a new four-field complex.
Project Summary
PROJECT: Newburgh Jr. Baseball Association
Babe Ruth Complex Wagon Wheel
Newburgh, Indiana
25-YEAR PROJECTED ENERGY SAVINGS:
$44,700
ADDITIONAL BENEFITS: Comprehensive warranty reduces
maintenance costs and hassle;
provides continuity as league
leadership changes
System minimized off-site spill
and glare; allows clear view of
the stars
Expanded and lighted facilities
allow for more family participation
Increased opportunities for
hosting tournaments
Easy installation for volunteers;
reduces cost
LIGHTING SYSTEM:
Light-Structure Green™
16 poles · 74 luminaires
A Fundraising Success Story
Even with donated property, that left about
$750,000 to be raised. The association dug
in on their fundraising effort, sponsoring
bat-a-thons that netted over $70,000 each
year for three years. According to Rundus,
“We begged, borrowed, and stole whatever
funding we could to get the fields built.”
“We gave away (St. Louis) Cardinals
tickets, (Cincinnati) Reds tickets, and trips
to Louisville to kids who helped raise the
most money,” he said. Local employer,
Alcoa, contributed $5,000, and the club
received a few other donations of $2,000-
$3,000, but the majority of it was raised
by the kids or individuals. The Victoria
National Golf Club raised and contributed
$60,000 – $70,000
through golf outings.
“We borrowed $200,000,
and the rest was donated
by local contractors who
lent their time, expertise,
and materials to construct
the complex,” he said.
Once the fields were
constructed, lighting was
a must. “In order to get in two games a night
and allow for all the kids and their families
to participate, we start our games at 5 p.m.
and end at 9 p.m. We needed lighting in
order to finish two games each evening,”
said Rundus.
Warranty and Energy Savings —
Use Green, Save Green
The association returned to the County Park
Board and Council to provide the lighting
system. Their timing proved to be good,
because the project was targeted as an
election-year issue.
The association specified only Musco Lighting to the county. “The warranty was a huge selling point because leagues change management every few years. It was important to have a system that was state-of-the-art and backed by a comprehensive warranty,” said Rundus.
“We wanted Musco because of what we’d seen. We even visited a nearby field that had Musco Lighting that was 20 years old and it was still working,” he said. “The biggest thing is the electricity this will save. This is a great thing for leagues. Nobody ever budgets for the electric bill — they just pay it. More often than not, they run short of budget dollars because of the electric bill,” said Rundus.
“ The biggest thing is the
electricity this will save.
This is a great thing for
Little Leagues.” –Paul Rundus
Newburgh Jr. Baseball Association
The Light-Structure Green™ system Newburgh installed reduces energy consumption from prior technology of 199.3 kW per hour to 115.7 kW per hour — a 42% savings. It will save the organization an estimated $44,700 in energy costs (almost $1,800 a year) over the 25-year life of the system.
Newburgh will realize additional savings through Musco’s warranty and maintenance program, which includes group lamp replacements and routine maintenance.
Newburgh used volunteers and local contractors who donated their time to install the system. “The way the system goes up is incredible. The ease of operation is awesome,” said Rundus.
“ The warranty was a huge selling point because Little Leagues change management every few years. It was important to have a system that was state-of-the-art and backed by a comprehensive warranty.”
–Paul Rundus
Newburgh Jr. Baseball Association
‘Wowed’ by Gorgeous Lighting
“When the fields are lit, it’s just gorgeous. We do love it,” Rundus says.
When Musco representatives visited the completed project to conduct lighting tests with visiting architects, engineers, and athletic directors, they said, “We all stood in the parking lot and looked over all four lighted fields. You could see all the stars in the sky as if the fields weren’t even there. That was the biggest ‘wow’ factor we heard from everyone. The up glow cutoff is unbelievable. It’s hard to describe until you see it. The cutoff along the foul lines was amazing. It was dramatically different from other projects we’ve seen. Also, the color rendition on the field seems to be much brighter and cleaner. It’s like comparing regular TV with HDTV on a plasma screen.”
“In comparison, a field on the other side of the parking lot was lighted about 18 months earlier, with non-Musco technology. The difference in appearance and light control was unbelievable. The difference was obvious,” they said.
Newburgh – Not Your Average Program
Before the project, Newburgh’s program had already produced Jamey Carroll who plays second base for the Colorado Rockies and Wes Carroll who plays for the Nationals. Now, tournament play in Newburgh is increasing thanks to the quality of the facility.
As a result of the project, they’ve had offers from professional tournament sponsors who want to rent their facility for all-star games. So far, they’ve declined. “Our program is for the average kid who wants to play ball,” says Rundus.
That may be, but there’s nothing average about this hometown, their program or
their facility.
