Safety concerns force Cassville to upgrade Wildcat Stadium lighting

By Kyle Troutman [email protected]

Cassville High School is moving forward with plans to upgrade stadium lighting, replacing the current system with LED fixtures to improve safety, efficiency, and long-term usability.

Merlyn Johnson, Cassville superintendent, said the move was the result of safety concerns, as the current lighting system was pulling more electricity than it was designed for, creating a fire or safety hazard.

“Each side of the stadium has its own transformer and breaker box,” said Dusty Reid, director of facilities and operations for the Cassville School District. “The breaker box is designed for a 200-amp service. Over the years, the lights have been pulling a lot more electricity than they did when they were new.”

Reid said the aging lights were beginning to strain the electrical system.

“It’s just getting old and it doesn’t work like it was designed,” he said. “There are lots of parts and pieces in the light with the capacitors and the transistors and all those components that start to get old.”

Testing by Barry Electric revealed the lights were pulling significantly more power than the system was built to handle.

“Our current lights were pulling about 275 amps, which is way more than what the system was designed for,” Reid said. “Barry Electric said we have two choices: upgrade the amount of electricity coming to the stadium, or decrease the amount of electricity we are using.”

Johnson said the district had planned to replace the lights with LED fixtures as part of its capital projects planning, aiming to put it in a bond issue to voters next year.

“We just determined we couldn’t wait that long,” Reid said. “The breakers were getting hot, and there was a concern about power going out in the middle of an event.”

Reid emphasized the long-term benefits of switching to LED.

“I’m glad we’re going to LED,” he said. “It’s the future of stadium lighting. Within 5-10 years, we will not be able to get a light bulb for our football field. Metal halide bulbs with mercury vapor are no longer being shipped overseas because of tariffs.”

Cassville awarded the LED project to Qualite, a company recommended by other school districts in the region, at a price tag of $212,557.

“Joplin High School has used Qualite and has always been very pleased with the product and the customer service,” Reid said. “We were comfortable using them after we heard that as well.”

The project comes at a reduced cost, with a 25-year warranty on the new fixtures.

“The bid was $217,000, but we got a $5,000 discount right off the bat,” Reid said. “We get better lighting, a better warranty and a better price.”

Two other bids came from Musco, at $240,000, and Geotech, at $266,850.

Once installed, the LED system is expected to meet higher standards of field illumination.

“High school football usually recommends 30 candlefoot,” Reid said. “NCAA football is 50 candlefoot. We are going with 50 candlefoot lights to make sure there are no dark spots or shadows. We want it to look like we made a good decision.”

The upgrade includes the practice field as well as the main stadium and parking lot, using the existing four light poles.

“This is called a retrofit project,” Reid said. “We’re not adding any new poles. We’re using the existing poles for the field, parking lot and practice field.”

Reid said the change will also reduce energy use significantly.

“I expect it to be well over half,” he said. “We may drop down to 35-40% of what we’re using right now. That will also lower our bill.”

The district anticipates approximately 300 hours of use per year per fixture, though final energy savings will be determined after installation.

The old lights will be retained for parts or possible use on the baseball field, Reid said.

“We get to retain those and might save a few for parts and pieces,” he said. “Soccer and softball lights are newer and a different brand.”

In addition to improved lighting, the new system includes eight free programmable light shows.

“When the home team scores a touchdown or players run out on the field, the lights can do different things,” Reid said. “We stuck with the free eight and did not choose to spend extra on different colors — just going white. With only four poles, the light shows will all look the same.”

Reid said the upgrade will modernize the stadium while keeping the project cost-effective.

“With the new LED lights, we’re addressing a safety concern, reducing energy use and preparing for the future,” he said.