Hundreds of new LED lights have been installed in a $9 million upgrade of Adelaide Oval, which will spill out from the big screens and dazzle fans and players throughout the stadium.

A total of 220 sports lights now line the edges of the Eastern, Riverbank, and Western stands, replacing old incandescent bulbs nearly four years after the oval's redevelopment.

A further 314 lights have also been installed across the Eastern, Western and Moreton Bay stands, as well as new LED ribbon boards, all set to synchronise with the stadium sound system.

Stadium Management Authority chief executive Andrew Daniels said the upgrade had been completed in time for the historic first Day-Night Ashes Test match in Adelaide next month, suggesting it could give the hosts a slight edge over the visiting England team.

"We will do whatever Cricket Australia want us to do," he said

"But we have multiple modes, so the sporting modes which are fully international compliant, but then there are the modes that you can have fun with.

It will be used for major sporting matches at the facility and other major events

Mr Daniels shrugged off suggestions it would be patrons funding the upgrade through inflated food and drink prices, saying the LED technology will lead to a 15 to 30% reduction in electricity usage.

"What this is actually doing, is trying to keep catering prices as low as possible by maximising content," he said.

It is hoped the upgrades will attract more international musicians, who Mr Daniels said would be able to incorporate the visual upgrade into their act.

"It's all about bringing new content to the Adelaide Oval to keep people coming here, keep people wanting to come here, keep us among the best stadia in the world," he said.

The project was funded through a loan from the Commonwealth Bank and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation to be paid back over the next eight years.

 

Source: abc.net.au

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