ID Large lit ground object in KY/TN?

Here's the story: we were flying American Airlines from St louis to RDU
(Raleigh/Durham) last night (12/27, about 9:30 CT. About half way
through the flight I noticed a large shape outlined by lights, oriented
east to west. The lit outline looked like this.


*************************
* *
* *
* *
* *
***************************

(connect the dots)

The point was to the east, the southern part (below the point) looked
bigger than the part north of the point. It was to the east/northeast
of a sizable town and looked to be about the size of small town, there
were no lights visible within the shape so it probably wasn't a mall or
the like.

I'd guess it was near Bowling Green KY, but I could be 100s of miles
off.

Like most pilots here, I can usually identify objects on the ground,
but this one has me puzzled. Are any local pilots able to identify it?

Thanks

"Tony" wrote in message

Here's the story: we were flying American Airlines from St louis to RDU

Sounds like you were looking at a prison complex. I used to instruct years
ago here in Mass in an area with two distinct prison complexes fairly close
to one another,and your description fits the bill.. Based on a quick bit of
research, I'd guess you were looking at the Green River Correctional Complex
in Central City, KY, about 45 miles NW of Bowling Green.

"John Gaquin" wrote

I'd guess you were looking at the Green River Correctional
Complex in Central City, KY, about 45 miles NW of Bowling Green.

Google-Earth confirms that!

Bob Moore

I'd guess you were looking at the Green River Correctional
Complex in Central City, KY, about 45 miles NW of Bowling Green.
Google-Earth confirms that!

Coordinates please? I looked at Central City and didn't see anything
such as Tony describes...

In article .com, John Clonts wrote:
I'd guess you were looking at the Green River Correctional
Complex in Central City, KY, about 45 miles NW of Bowling Green.
Google-Earth confirms that!

Coordinates please? I looked at Central City and didn't see anything
such as Tony describes...

I do.

Go to: http://maps.google.com
Enter as search terms: green river correctional complex, central city, ky
Click on 'Search'
Site is flagged as point 'A'
Zoom in a few levels (2 or 3)

It's NE of the city. Pretend you're looking at a pentagon that's also
pointing NE.

One of the two 'top' sides of the pentagon is surrounded by a road; that
accounts for lighting along that side. The other top side appears to be
surrounded by water, and is probably why there were not a continuous
unbroken string of lights there.

Google Maps reports the Lat/Lon (of what I think is the entrance to the
property or the road that leads to it?) as 37.30 deg N, 87.12 deg W.

-Dan

"John Clonts" wrote
Coordinates please? I looked at Central City and didn't see
anything such as Tony describes...

N 87 degrees, 06 minutes, 50.64 seconds
W 37 degrees, 18 minutes, 53.25 seconds

Bob Moore