Opening with an all-star gala event featuring Las Vegas natives The Killers, Wayne Newton, Shamir, the Blue Man Group and Cirque du Soleil, Las Vegas’s new T-Mobile Arena is equipped with a Martin Audio MLA loudspeaker system – courtesy of Delicate Productions.

Chosen a to ensure consistent coverage throughout the venue, the installation is part of a two-year project representing an investment of US$375m. The 20,000-seat arena will host over 100 events a year, including sports ranging from UFC, boxing, hockey and basketball to concerts and awards shows.

A concert featuring Nicki Minaj with special guest Ariana Grande followed the opening night, with shows from George Strait, Garth Brooks, Billy Joel and the Guns N’ Roses reunion tour scheduled to follow. The MLA system – supplied by the Arena’s preferred audio provider and MLA partner 3G Productions – was used for the opening show featuring the Killers and the Nicki Minaj-Ariana Grande concert. It comprises16 MLA and 2 MLD cabinets per side for the main hang, 20 MLA Compact a side for out fill along with 32 MLX subs (12 ground-stacked and four flown per side).

Describing the event’s planning, Delicate’s Smoother Smyth said: ‘Due to our workload, it made sense to bring in the MLA system from 3G which is based in Las Vegas. The team installed the PA a week before the Killers show for a soft opening’with Martina McBride, an event to ensure the ticketing systems, concession stands and security were all in place and operating efficiently prior to the opening concert. As it turned out, there were no acoustic issues other than to say that the MLA system handled the 20,000-seat venue perfectly.

‘This event had been looming on the horizon for quite some time and the show flow was much discussed,’ he adds. ‘Thanks to a flawless performance everyone within the Killers camp was in great spirits by the end of the evening.’