Photo: Arden Ash
A $675 million joint venture between Station Casinos and Las Vegas Sun publisher Greenspun Corporation, the new Aliante Station Casino + Hotel in North Las Vegas is primarily being touted by its owners as “a resort for locals.” All of Station Casinos’ 18 properties throughout southern Nevada have performance spaces, including Aliante’s Access Showroom, its newest space.
“Our primary goal at Aliante Station Hotel and Casino is to deliver an unprecedented experience for our guests and patrons, and the new Access Showroom is very much in keeping with that objective,” says Judy Alberti, corporate vice president of entertainment for Station Casinos, Inc. “Thanks to our technical partners on the project, including AVDB Group and Sceno Plus, as well as key system manufacturers like L-ACOUSTICS, Access truly takes its place as the crown jewel of Station Casinos’ concert venues.”
Station Casinos called upon Southwestern U.S. integrator AVDB Group to supply the audio, video and control systems for the luxurious Sceno Plus-designed theater, which in concert mode seats more than 600 patrons, none of whom are more than a mere 75 feet from the stage.
Photo: Arden Ash
Having recently installed an L-ACOUSTICS KUDO line source array system into Ovation Lounge at Station Casinos’ Green Valley Ranch Resort in nearby Henderson, AVDB once again chose to specify the enclosure for the Aliante venue based on its stellar performance.
Using L-ACOUSTICS’ SOUNDVISION modeling software, AVDB designed an audio setup that features six KUDO enclosures flown per side with low-end delivered by a center cluster of eight SB28 subs. Four SB118 and six KIVA systems serve as front stagefills, while dual ARCS arrays are deployed as far left/right fills. A total of 17 coaxial 115XT HiQ wedges are also on hand for stage monitoring use, plus two additional ARCS cabinets for side fills. All loudspeakers are powered by L-ACOUSTICS’ LA8 amplified controllers—housed in dedicated amplifier rooms on the second floor at stage left and right—which are remotely monitored and controlled via tablet PCs running NETWORK MANAGER.
According to Scott Oosthuizen, AVDB Group CEO and general manager of the company’s Las Vegas office, it was KUDO’s combination of power and flexible directivity that made it the optimal choice for Access Showroom.
“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,” he says. “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.”
Oosthuizen also describes 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.”
Photo: Arden Ash
Although Aliante technically marks the second Station Casinos project that AVDB has completed, Oosthuizen personally has a long 13-year history of serving the client’s systems needs. “Overall, I’d have to say that Access Showroom is the best sounding room I’ve done for Station Casinos,” he says. “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. 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 P.A. into the room.”
Over its first few months, Access Showroom has hosted artists including 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, visit www.l-acoustics.com, www.avdb-group.com and www.aliantecasinohotel.com.
