CES Repairs Coliseum After Hurricane Maria
Nearly every plane that flies into Puerto Rico goes over the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum of Puerto Rico, one of the top 20 arenas in the world. It’s a staple in the Puerto Rican community that has hosted over 360 shows, featuring the likes of Paul McCartney, NBA teams, Disney on Ice, and many other big names since its opening in 2004.
Unfortunately, this iconic arena recently saw major damage after Hurricane Maria. Seawater corroded the lighting fixtures, and the beacon that once lit up its community became dark. Thankfully, the story doesn’t end there.
Big Job, No Branch
City Electric Supply was already in the process of starting a branch in Puerto Rico when this restoration project opened up in the summer of 2020, and Branch Manager Beatriz Cintron wasn’t going to let the opportunity pass — even though her branch hadn’t opened yet.
With the help of Export and Industrial Branch Manager Jeffrey Delgado, Cintron secured the job.
“Our presentation had products, photometrics, everything. We ended up supplying all lighting fixtures, and they were installed by an electrical contractor here,” said Cintron. “The Coliseum is a big source of pride to many people. Restoring it was a project many people wanted to accomplish, but they chose to go with us.”
The branch team started in December and is currently in the final stages of light programming. And they did more than just fix the coliseum’s hurricane damage — they made the coliseum’s lighting even better than it was before.
“We reduced energy consumption and lighting contamination. They used to have these old metal halide fixtures, so we also gave them more durable and effective RGB lighting,” explained Cintron. “They used to have 50 fixtures, and now they only need 35. Also, they used to put plastic over the lights to change the colors, but now they have a more sophisticated system.”
Passion Project
What did it take to pull off such a large project? A lot of hard work.
“We answered every call, and we worked weekends — everything we needed to do to support this project,” said Cintron.
“We gave what CES always gives — great service,” she added.
It was a great way to introduce Puerto Rico to its first CES branch. Before they even opened, they tackled one of the biggest projects, if not the biggest project, in the area.
“Our passion took over. We did so much work to earn the project,” laughed Cintron. “We even used measurements from Google Earth.”
And that passion stayed with them from the planning stage all the way through the execution stage. The large project was completed without a hitch, as a very impressed Delgado will tell you.
“The fact that they did all of this without the branch even being fully opened is incredible,” said Delgado.
Strong Support from CES
Cintron is proud to represent City Electric Supply in this historic project — not just because it turned out so well, but because she hopes it lets the community know that her branch is there to support them.
“We are so proud of this, and we hope this project brings more opportunities. We wanted to make a good impression so that when people see the lighting, they ask who did it and find out it was us,” said Cintron. “I think we’ve accomplished that.”
Cintron was quick to thank all of the CES teams that supported her branch and made this project possible.
“It’s very important to highlight the incredible support I received from Branch Manager Jeffrey Delgado and District Manager Aramis Montenegro,” said Cintron. “They trusted me with this project the same way the client trusted my branch with the project. It’s that trust and support that drives me.”
“When we decided to go to Puerto Rico, Beatriz was the first person we wanted to interview,” added Delgado. “She’s always looking for a challenge, always looking for ways to support the Puerto Rico market. She’s done such a great job, and I know that’s only going to continue.”
In the same way Delgado is glad to have Cintron, Cintron is glad to have her team.
“I’m grateful for my branch, my team. I’m grateful for the CES network and the autonomy CES provides,” said Beatriz. “I think I’m in the right place at the right time, and I couldn’t be more excited.”
The Future of CES Puerto Rico
So, what’s next for the branch? (Besides officially opening, of course.)
“CES is going to be a major player in big projects there in the future,” said Jeffrey. “Pharma, solar, everything. Just wait and see.”
In the meantime, the team will probably spend some time standing in front of the coliseum, admiring the lights they helped restore. The coliseum will stand for years to come as a tribute to the hard work of Cintron’s CES team in Puerto Rico and the resilience of the community.