INTRODUCTION

As the epicenter of sports and entertainment, this multi-purpose venue is the home of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL), the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and world-class entertainment. The award-winning venue has become one of the busiest arenas in the world, welcoming more than 6 million guests since its September 2017 opening.

THE CHALLENGE

Little Caesars Arena exemplifies modernization inside and out. With up to 20,000 guests per ticketed event, the venue is regularly being utilized for a wide variety of entertainment. While designing the space, officials wanted to ensure that the arena was not only visually stunning, but also energy efficient. 

THE SOLUTION

Assistant General Manager Jim Bullo and his electrical team set out to provide a premier experience for visitors, while meeting the standards of multiple professional sporting organizations and public events. Working with the local Crestron agent and international lighting and lighting controls design studio, Illuminating Concepts, the group helped customize a Crestron lighting solution that provides tailored control to the operations group.

THE TECHNOLOGY

Lighting solutions have become vital to enhancing the experience within arenas. To create the perfect environment for any event, there must be a control solution in place that can switch between settings seamlessly. By standardizing on Crestron, the operations and electrical teams can easily manage the lighting across the entire arena straight from their tablet. Crestron provides advanced DMX lighting control throughout Little Caesars Arena, complete with tunable white light variations that can be adjusted for various professional sporting games or other public events. One of the most appealing features of Little Caesars Arena is the ETFE transparent roof that covers a poriton of the concourses. While letting in natural light, the roof protects fans from Detroit’s cold and snow. The electrical team designed the lighting solution to illuminate specific areas that require additional light, helping save energy. By utilizing the preset modules on the Crestron lighting system, the lights can be adjusted during the day. 

While the Crestron lighting system provides a granular level of control, management of the system remains easy for the operations and electrical team who are able to change the lighting across the entire arena directly from their tablet. The Crestron web interface allows them to switch between preset scene controls or manage the system manually to ensure that every inch of the arena is lit perfectly at all times. “With so many ticketed and private events taking place in the arena, the preset modules on our Crestron web interface help us efficiently and quickly manage the space,” Bullo said. By utilizing the preset modules on the Crestron lighting system, the lights can be adjusted during the day. For employees who work after-hours, the system has also been programmed to automatically shut down excess zones and only provide functional lighting in occupied areas. These additional steps not only contributed to the building becoming LEED Silver Certified, but also gives the venue an energy costs savings of more than 17% each year

RESULTS

Crestron has provided Little Caesars Arena with a lighting solution that helps create a welcoming experience for guests from the moment they enter the venue. With the flexibility afforded by their custom lighting infrastructure, venue operators can manage the facility for any event with the confidence that they can prep the arena with relative ease.