Musco Lighting Selected to Install Permanent Lights at Churchill Downs

Nov 17, 2009 Darren Rogers

Musco Lighting®, which has specialized in lighting systems for sports and large areas for more than 30 years, has been awarded the contracting bid to install permanent track lighting at Churchill Downs, the historic home of the Kentucky Derby.

Following the popularity of three special “Downs After Dark” nighttime racing programs this spring under temporary lights, Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ: CHDN) (“CDI” or “Company”) announced Sept. 29 that permanent lights would be installed at the Louisville, Ky. racetrack before the start of the 2010 Spring Meet.

Churchill Downs plans to host six Downs After Dark events in 2010 (pending final approval from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission) – four during the 42-date Spring Meet and two during the 20-day Fall Meet (with scheduled first post time):

* Friday, June 11, 2010 (6 p.m. ET)
* Friday, June 18, 2010 (6 p.m. ET)
* Friday, June 25, 2010 (6 p.m. ET)
* Friday, July 2, 2010 (6 p.m. ET)
* Sunday, Oct. 31, 2010 (4:30 p.m. ET)
* Friday, Nov. 19, 2010 (4:30 p.m. ET)

Musco Lighting®, based in Oskaloosa, Iowa, was the company that provided the temporary lighting at Churchill Downs this spring.

“Musco Lighting boasts an impressive résumé of international and local projects and they did a phenomenal job with the temporary lighting project this spring,” said Churchill Downs president Kevin Flanery. “We look forward to working with them again in this historic process to install permanent lighting at Churchill Downs.”

Musco Lighting® has provided permanent and temporary lighting services to the Olympic Games, Daytona International Speedway, Wimbledon Centre Court, Yankee Stadium, Dodger Stadium and NFL Super Bowls to name a few. They’ve also installed lighting at more than three dozen racetracks around the world including Colonial Downs, Emerald Downs, Dundalk Racecourse, Great Leighs Racecourse, Hawthorne Race Course, Meadowlands, Mountaineer, Nad Al Sheba, Penn National, Prairie Meadows, Presque Isle, The Red Mile, Turfway Park and Woodbine. Musco Lighting® is also installing lights at the United Arab Emirates’ new Meydan Racecourse, which will host the Dubai World Cup on March 27, 2010.

Locally, Musco Lighting® also installed the permanent lighting at the University of Louisville’s Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium, located just a couple of blocks away from the racetrack.

 This spring, Musco Lighting® used 394 temporary halide fixtures for a total of 1,223 kilowatts of power to light the racetrack, which is the equivalent to using 20,383 60-watt household light bulbs. The light structures included eight Musco Light™ units, 15 temporary Light-Structure™ units and 20 Light-Structure Green™ poles and roof-top structures.

The permanent lighting project at Churchill Downs will be much more expansive and the project is estimated to cost between $3 million to $4 million.

“Musco is honored to be selected as the lighting manufacturer for the historical Churchill Downs project,” Musco Vice President Jeff Rogers said. “Musco has worked closely with the Churchill Downs team to develop a system that will provide state-of-the-art performance while minimizing the impact on the environment.”

The overall completion of the monumental project is scheduled for March 31, 2010. Surveying, structural and electrical design are currently underway. Installation of lighting equipment is set to begin immediately after the 2009 Fall Meet on Dec. 1.

    Reserved ticket packages to 2010 Downs After Dark events are available for purchase online at tickets.churchilldowns.com – Churchill Downs’ new and convenient online box office platform.

    Cover charge (general admission) to all Downs After Dark events will be $10. A special discounted general admission pass for entrance on all six nights is available for $45 (a $15 savings). Customers also have the opportunity to purchase a special $20 package that includes general admission, a box seat in the third-floor clubhouse and an official program. Additionally, Downs After Dark “Date Night” dinner and dancing packages are available for $59.90 and include a reserved seat in Millionaires Row, an official program and buffet dinner.

    Churchill Downs, the world’s most legendary racetrack, has conducted Thoroughbred racing and presented America’s greatest race, the Kentucky Derby, continuously since 1875. Located in Louisville, the flagship racetrack of Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN) also operates Trackside at Churchill Downs, which offers year-round simulcast wagering at the historic track. Churchill Downs will conduct the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 1, 2010 and the Kentucky Oaks on April 30, 2010. The track will conduct its 2009 Fall Meet from Sunday, Nov. 1 through Saturday, Nov. 28. Churchill Downs is scheduled to host the Breeders’ Cup World Championships for a record seventh time on Nov. 5 and 6, 2010. Churchill Downs tickets are available at tickets.churchilldowns.com or by calling (502) 636-4400. Additional information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.churchilldowns.com.

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