Lighting system a visible addition at U of Illinois arena

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) - Not much has been written or said about it, but new lighting is easily one of the most noticeable pieces of the $170 million renovation of the University of Illinois' State Farm Center.

According to The News-Gazette (http://bit.ly/2gw9Mul ), the new lighting system has so far been used to splash red, white and blue on the arena ceiling during the national anthem before basketball games.

Dave Roesch is stage manager at the arena. He says he started thinking about new lighting from the time he started at the arena in 1999, but the money was never available until the recent renovation.

Roesch says he and others are just learning the new system. He expects a year or two of finding out what it can do.

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Information from: The News-Gazette, http://www.news-gazette.com