The lights are back on: Union Station debuts new lighting technology

KANSAS CITY, Mo (KCTV) --- It’s not new to say Union Station puts on quite the light show, like when the Chiefs win a big game or they honor a Kansas City legend who has passed away, but Saturday’s new light show showcases brand new technology.

Union Station CEO George Guastello said new lighting technology on the exterior wall of Union Station and in the Henry Wollman Bloch Fountain achieves an entirely new level of performance.

“It just gives a chance to really be the visual voice of Kansas City,” he said.

They spent nearly $200,000 from the station’s savings to buy 1000 cables and 50 instruments to synchronize the light show. He the new lime diode technology uses less energy while illuminating brighter, crisper colors and transitions.

“Tonight, will be just a simple little glimpse of what this will be able to do,” he said. “If you can imagine it’s going to be like taking the Bellagio and the Empire State building and putting it together in one place in the Midwest and that’s what’s going to happen.”

They have been working for two years on this synchronized-lighting project and now it is unveiled in commemoration of what would be Henry Bloch’s 100th birthday.

Union Station is synonymous with KC and Guastello said that’ll be on full display when the NFL draft comes to town next year.

“We were told that the NFL Draft last year had almost 50 million people watching it. Union station is Kansas City so when something good happens and we’re on the newspaper from anywhere around the world, this is our monument,” he said

They’re working to get music connected with the lights to enhance their shows. He didn’t give a timeframe but says that it’ll happen down the road.

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