PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — The huge holiday lights show at LMCU Ballpark north of Grand Rapids did not open as expected Wednesday after it was vandalized.

“The guy, the person who did this doesn’t realize how much sadness he brought to so many people,” Christmas Lite Show founder Bill Schrader said, becoming emotional.

The Kent County Sheriff’s Office says it has video showing a man walking up to the south side of the ballpark around 9 p.m. Tuesday. It says “hundreds” of lights were damaged. Schrader said about a quarter of the displays are not working because wires were cut.

As a result, the show could not open Wednesday as originally scheduled. Schrader said he had anticipated about 1,000 cars to weave through the show on the first night.

He said it had taken his crews more than two days to install just the 26,400 lights in the water tunnel display, which was among the pieces vandalized.

“Now we’re starting repair mode,” he told News 8. “I have so many good workers who are putting it all together. We’ll be open on Saturday night. And Santa Claus is going to be here also.”

This will be the 27th year of the Christmas Lite Show. It is the brainchild of the 95-year-old Schrader, a U.S. Army veteran. It started small, but Schrader said it now takes nine semi-truck trailers to hold all of the displays and he has about 50 people on staff, all of whom have “a passion for what we’re doing.” He said it’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it because of the joy it creates.

“The happiness that it brings to everybody, the generosity. People will drive through and will pay for the car behind them,” Schrader said, recalling one instance in which the pay-it-forward mentality extended for 100 cars.

The show is now expected to open at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

Anyone with information about the vandalism is asked to call the sheriff’s department at 616.632.6125 or Silent Observer at 616.774.2345. American Legion Post 179 in Walker says it is offering a $1,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible.

Post Commander Patrick Burns told News 8 that Schrader has been a member of the post for some 30 years, previously served as its commander and is the namesake for its main event hall.

“He has done so much for this community and this nation,” Burns said of Schrader, referencing his service as a Green Beret, his two Purple Hearts and his Silver Star.