NORTH LAS VEGAS — The new Aliante Station Casino & Hotel is being touted as “a resort for locals,” but that doesn’t mean the facility is getting its gear at pawn shops and swap meets. Station Casinos, which launched the $675 million joint venture with Las Vegas Sun publisher Greenspun Corporation and operates 18 properties in southern Nevada, calls Aliante’s Access showroom its “crown jewel,” and has equipped it accordingly.
Station Casinos called upon AVDB Group to supply the audio, video and control systems for the Sceno Plus-designed theatre, which in concert mode seats over 600 patrons, none of whom are more than 75 feet from the stage.
Having recently installed an L-Acoustics Kudo line source array system into Ovation Lounge at Station Casinos’ Green Valley Ranch Resort, AVDB chose to specify the enclosure once again, basing the decision on performance.
Using L-Acoustics’ Soundvision modeling software, AVDB designed an audio setup that includes six Kudo enclosures flown on each side, a center cluster of eight SB28 subs, four SB118 and six Kiva systems as front stage fills and dual Arcs arrays deployed as far left/right fills.
A total of 17 coaxial 115XT HiQ wedges are also on hand for stage monitoring, plus two additional Arcs cabinets for side fills.
L-Acoustics’ LA8 amplified controllers power the loudspeakers. The controllers are housed in dedicated amplifier rooms on the second floor at stage left and right, and are remotely monitored and controlled via tablet PCs running Network Manager.
“Kudo’s adjustable dispersion feature was absolutely critical in enabling us to achieve a seamless transition between the main front-of-house enclosures and ARCS outer-fills,” said Scott Oosthuizen, AVDB’s group CEO, who is general manager of the company’s Las Vegas office. “We honed the setup in Soundvision, then simply adjusted the Kudo louvers accordingly, and the resulting coverage is completely smooth and natural across the entire room.”
“Smooth” is also the same word that Oosthuizen used to describe the coaxial 115XT HiQ stage monitors specified for the stage. “They’re very smooth and hi-fi; they don’t sound like a traditional wedge. The HiQs also get quite loud for their size. So far, the acts coming through have all had good experiences with them, both here and at Green Valley, so the client has basically decided to standardize on the monitor from here on.”
Although Aliante marks the second Station Casinos project that AVDB has completed, Oosthuizen has a 13-year history serving the company’s systems needs. “Overall, I’d have to say that Access Showroom is the best sounding room I’ve done for Station Casinos,” he said.
“Sceno Plus, which is well known for its work on many Cirque du Soleil venues, did a fantastic job designing the infrastructure, facilities and layout of the room,” Oosthuizen added. “But much of the room’s success can also be attributed to L-Acoustics. Many ‘A-level’ acts have already performed there and no one has even suggested bringing their own PA into the room.”
Over its first few months, Access Showroom has hosted Sheryl Crow, Smokey Robinson, Chris Botti, Tommy Shaw/Jack Blades, Godsmack’s Sully Erna, Aaron Lewis of Staind, REO Speedwagon, Poison’s Bret Michaels, Merle Haggard, Richard Marx, Eric Burdon & The Animals and Kenny Loggins.
For more information, please visit www.l-acoustics.com.
