Pop Flak Courts Boast New Energy Efficient Lights

The lights are shining brightly at the Pop Flack tennis courts in Aquidneck Park on King Street.

And they’ll be costing the city a lot less.

The new lights boast special LED lighting technology that use much less energy than conventional lights and “virtually eliminate maintenance costs” because LED lamps can last for decades, the city said in a release.

The lights were designed by Musco Lighting, a major player in the sports lighting business that has installed similar systems around the world including at the Olympics and at the United States Tennis Association’s Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The system can be turned on and off by players from 4 to 10 p.m. and boasts custom reflectors that promise to eliminate spill and glare.

The project is part of the city’s overall goal of improving recreational facilities around the city with a focus on being green.

The city has for years been exploring a new system at the Pop Flack courts, which have steadily been failing.

“As the home of the Tennis Hall of Fame, Newport was a natural choice for this cutting edge technology,” a company spokeswoman said. “The new system lights the way to a brighter energy use future for the city.”

The new lights were purchased at a discounted price through the U.S. Communities Cooperative Purchasing program and installed by K Electric of Warwick, RI.