With poll: Athletic department wants to add permanent lights to Michigan Stadium

“It’s going to be such a great atmosphere,” the 2006 U-M graduate said. “I’ve got a lot of friends who go to schools that have hosted night games and they say it’s just awesome.”

If the U-M Board of Regents gives its approval on Thursday, the game will take place under new, permanent lights.

The U-M Board of Regents is being asked to approve new, permanent lights for Michigan Stadium.

Melanie Maxwell I AnnArbor.com

The athletic department has asked for approval to spend $1.8 million out of athletic department resources to put up the lights, according to a memo included this morning in the regent’s meeting packet.

The memo does not include any information on where in the stadium the lights will go, but does say that the department anticipates construction to be complete this fall.

A request for comment from the department was not returned.

The department has been using temporary lights for late afternoon game, especially in the late fall.

However, plans to host a night hockey game this December at the stadium, tied with the plans for the first-ever totally night game next football season have made the move necessary, the memo from athletic director Dave Brandon and Timothy Slottow, the university’s CFO, said.

“It is expected that the demands for field lighting will continue to increase over time,” the memo says. “This project will provide permanently-mounted lighting a the stadium, with the benefits of increased quality of illumination, greater reliability, and improved aesthetics. The scope of this project includes the architectural, mechanical and electrical work necessary to accomplish these improvements.”

David Jesse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at davidjesse@annarbor.com or at 734-623-2534.