L-Acoustics in $90M Vegas Theatre

MGM Resorts International’s Park Theater is the newest jewel on the Las Vegas Strip. Hosting an audience of 5200 in its standard configuration and with a maximum capacity of 6300, the $90m theatre is a showpiece of cutting-edge technology and the latest trends in theatrical design.

Although the 14,000sqm performance space is enormous, the Park Theater hasn’t forfeited a sense of intimacy with its rear row of seating less than 45m from the stage. The Park Theater officially opened its doors in mid-December 2016 with a double-bill of Stevie Nicks and The Pretenders. It has already booked an impressive series of ‘extended engagements’ with artists like Bruno Mars, Cher, and Ricky Martin.

In true Vegas style, the room’s technology is nothing short of dazzling. A projection mapping system scales 80m across the top of the stage and onto 15m-high screens on either side, illuminated by seven HD projectors and two 4K projectors capable of 3D imagery and more. To sonically match the stunning visual effects, theatre consultant Scéno Plus specified a true LCR PA system with left/right stereo line arrays of L-Acoustics K2 elements and K1-SB subs, with dialogue/lead vocals routed through a centre cluster of Kara as its own channel. Created in Soundvision, this system design was deemed the ideal solution to offer an immersive, full-range (35Hz-20kHz) audio experience evenly and consistently across every seat in the house thanks to the K2’s Panflex horizontal steering, which focuses the energy on the audience and away from the walls.

“The challenge here was to provide a truly immersive audio experience that was as amazing as the video projection,” explains Scéno Plus AV Designer Simon Léonard. “Plus, we had to provide a rider-friendly system that can meet the expectations and requirements of the biggest theatrical shows and concerts. L-Acoustics’ line source arrays have earned a reputation for delivering remarkable vocal presence and projection, and their consistent sonic signature eliminates coverage seams in the audience, creating a very intimate concert experience.”

What’s more, the K2 arrays and other speaker elements had to be able to clearly and powerfully perform despite being hidden behind the projection screens that comprise the stage’s huge 700sqm proscenium.

“We had a very big space to cover and it had to be done from behind the screens,” explains Léonard. “Accuracy of mappings and mechanical data were instrumental, and we required a highly efficient, predictable and accurate system. Plus the system had to be reliable and well renowned — it had to be spot-on in every sense. And the K2 solution caters for all of that while maintaining a clear stereo image no matter where you’re sitting in the room. It’s really quite amazing and, in my opinion, very unique.”

The sound system at the Park Theater today consists of two hangs comprising 16 K2 enclosures and six K1-SB subwoofers per side flanking a centre cluster made up of 14 Kara boxes and four ARCS II outfill enclosures. 12 SB28 subs are ground-stacked down below to anchor the system’s generous low-end, while eight X8 and two X12 coaxial enclosures are distributed across the 40m-wide stage to further extend the coverage and frequency response of the mains. 10 additional X8s serve as under-balcony fills, with the entire PA system powered and processed by 21 LA8 amplified controllers.

Hills: (03) 9890 7477 or www.hills.com.au
L-Acoustics: www.l-acoustics.com