The Opening
The Pickle Lodge is a premier indoor pickleball facility located slightly north of Cincinnati. The Lodge opened in 2023 with 9 indoor courts and then an additional 8 courts in January 2024 for a total of 17 indoor pickleball courts. There are plans to open six outdoor courts in Summer 2024.
It is the second-largest indoor pickleball facility in the United States. Players range from recreational beginners to touring professionals and span all ages.
The 60,000-square-foot building also features a restaurant, bar, pro shop and event space making the Pickle Lodge a multi-purpose facility.
The Challenges
The original building was constructed in 1974 and the lighting fixtures were outdated metal halide.
“The lighting here was absolutely awful,” said Mitch Dunn, Co-founder and owner of The Pickle Lodge. “It was dim and slow.”
The Pickle Lodge team knew immediately they would need to elevate the lighting to brighten the interior for a more welcoming experience and provide the right light for high level pickleball play. High quality, indirect light was a priority for the Pickle Lodge.
Having energy efficient fixtures was a bonus for the Pickle Lodge which has its courts open for play 15 hours a day, 7 days a week.
“[Energy cost] was important, but paled in comparison to the importance of clear, bright, indirect light,” said Dunn.
The Solution
LSI Lighting ZONE Indirect Sports Light (ZNIA)
LSI Lighting is the official lighting partner of USA Pickleball and understands how critical proper lighting is for a professional level pickleball court environment.
The ZONE Indirect Sports Light (ZNIA) fixture is engineered specifically for indoor sports facilities. The ZNIA provides non-glare lighting and is ideal for indoor settings with high ceilings to illuminate courts including pickleball with fast action play.
The ZNIA is available in 55,000 or 75,000 lumen packages but is designed to provide non-glare indirect lighting. Made in America the ZNIA meets the Buy American Act requirements, and all versions of this fixture are DLC listed.
“A combination of local service, price and confidence in the product led us to LSI,” Dunn said. “What we expected from customer service and the groundwork done to highlight the necessary number of fixtures were important factors in choosing LSI,” Dunn said.
Features:
- 55,000 to 75,000 lumen output
- Constructed of 22-gauge die-formed steel with a post-paint polyester coat finish
- Impact resistant clear, acrylic lenses
- Available in 4000K, 5000K color temperatures
- High-performance programmable driver features overvoltage, under voltage, short-circuit and over temperature protection.
- 0-10V dimming standard
- Operating temperature -40C to 55C
- Mounting options include Hook Cable Hangers and optional Single Hub/Chain Mount
The Results
The installation of the ZNIA fixtures helped the Pickle Lodge become the premier indoor pickleball facility in Cincinnati. The non-glare indirect luminaires bring bright, even light to the facility providing an elite environment for high level pickleball play.
SUMMARY
Solution
- ZONE Indirect Sports Light (ZNIA)
Results
- Upgraded to ZONE Indirect Sports Light (ZNIA)
- Vibrantly lit courts with non-glare indirect lighting
- Modern, durable, attractive and energy efficient fixtures
Benefits
- Enhanced player experience
- Improved visibility
- Greater energy efficiency
- Reduced energy costs
- Lower maintenance costs
“We looked at another place and chose LSI Lighting,” said Dunn. “We have seen their lights in other facilities and it was a no brainer to pick LSI. We have people compliment us on our lighting every day. We have pickleball pros in here and they see a lot of courts and complexes, they told us our lighting here is the top of the charts.”