Case Study: American Airlines Arena

The Situation

American Airlines Arena, home of the Miami Heat professional men’s basketball team, found it was like many arenas across the nation – fitted with unsupported, outdated Musco Lighting’s Microlite lighting control panels. Not an ideal situation for a facility that hosts a multitude and variety of large capacity events and concerts. On any given day, American Airlines Arena may host a monster truck rally, and with a short turnaround time, host an ice show the next. The facility’s active schedule dictated time sensitivity and cost effectiveness in addition to a need for modern lighting control panels.   

 

The Solution

ILC considered these questions:

  1. How can the lighting in the facility be controlled the way American Airlines Arena employees recognize, but will also implement current technology?
  2. What lighting control solution has the lowest possible cost to the arena?
  3. What is the cost analysis of lighting control panel replacement (full installed cost including rerunning of new pipe and wire and labor cost) vs. lighting control panel retrofit?
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The clear answer was to retrofit with ILC’s LightLEEDer Relay Panel Retrofit Insert. This solution took something American Airlines Arena was familiar with and made it even better. By designing ILC gear to a specifically sized backplate, a contractor or electrician can efficiently replace the MicroLite interior with the retrofitted LightLEEDer interior and secure the plate.

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Included was a new touchscreen interface (GUI) that allowed control of the sports lighting and house lights via a mix of Relay and DMX control using a phone app.

The Success

American Airlines Arena realized investment benefits using the LightLEEDer retrofit of lower material cost, reduction in installation cost, and reduced labor time, as well as straightforward wiring for the installing electrician.

The LightLEEDer retrofit solution also enhanced technology aesthetics and created a simplified user experience. The interface and retrofit exceeded American Airlines Arena’s expectations.