Reckoned to be the world’s most high-tech basketball arena, the Intuit Dome is home of the LA Clippers. Here Clair Global Integration (CGI) was engaged to design and install technical solutions, working alongside lead designer AECOM and Turner Construction. In addition, the $2bn, 18,000-capacity venue hosted Clair Global touring client, Bruno Mars, as its opening act, placing Clair’s rental and installation divisions in close collaboration for the Inglewood, California, arena’s first live event.
‘The great thing about the LA Clippers is their dedication to the fans,’ says CGI VP of Sports Integration, Demetrius Palavos. ‘As an organization, they wanted this facility to engage sports and music fans instantly. Steve Ballmer, LA Clippers Chairman, has a background in powerful technology and understands perfectly how it can become a lever to meaningfully interact with patrons.’
During the site build, Ballmer told a press conference: ‘You all, fans and players together deserve the ultimate home court. You’re going to have it and you’re going to have it here in Inglewood.’
To help bring this project to fruition, CGI undertook an extensive scope of work which included the installation of the main JBL Professional bowl sound system, along with Q-Sys networking systems in the club spaces, practice courts and locker rooms. CGI also integrated NEAT solutions for every conference room, national, and in-house ENG broadcast cable plant and distribution, ENG plant and cabling, Cisco IPTV systems, and AV-over-IP solutions.
As with all CGI builds, there was a focus on how technology can enhancethe fan experience. CGI was charged with implementing ADA (American Disabilities Act) panels for sight-impaired fans in the club spaces and suites.
‘We’re a creative engineering company, we solve beyond audio and video,’ Demetrius continues. ‘In conjunction with Storm LED panels, we created our own back-end software that interfaces with Q-Sys. In every suite and club space we have an ADA panel that connects with a Q-Sys touchpanel. The ADA panel mimics the touch panel buttons allowing anyone with a sight loss disability to control the sound and TVs for that area.’
The Intuit Dome’s production facilities include a giant ‘halo’ shaped video screen which hangs centrally above some of the arena’s seating. This potentially large obstruction to great audio coverage required an innovative sound design, and to achieve optimum results, an inner ring of eight clusters was integrated to sufficiently cover the lower bowl, while a significant number of smaller line arrays cover the outer edge of the halo.
‘We worked with A/V consultant and technical designer Greg Swindle of WJHW on the overall cluster configuration and precise box angles,’ Demetrius says. ‘It was critical to ensure we were not putting any energy into the back of the LED video screen and causing reflections. Our job at Clair Global Integration is to make things work seamlessly, to make the technology a success from the first time the doors open.’
The JBL PA installation comprises VTX A12 line array elementss in the centre and VTX A8s on the outer delays, with PD500 large-format loudspeakers for upper delay fill.
‘From construction to production, we are always looking at the premier audience experience, whether that’s on the road or in an integration scenario in music, sports or themed entertainment,’ Demetrius says. ‘Using the envelope of state-of-the-art technology, we create experiences that make people want to visit again.’
For the two consecutive nights of Bruno Mars’ concerts, CGI worked with the singer’s touring team, including Systems Engineer Matt McQuaid, to augment the fixed hangs with a concert-grade L-Acoustics K Series touring rig.
Clair Global supplied main hangs of K1 and K2, KS28s as flown subs, K1 and K2 for side hangs, K2 rear hangs, more KS28 cabinets for ground subs, and A10’s and A15s for front fill reinforcement. The system was powered by 64 LA12X amplifiers.
‘This was a very collaborative internal process at Clair, where a great synergy of our experiences and our expertise made this possible,’ says Clair Global Account Executive for Bruno Mars, Robert Drewes. ‘The construction teams, architects, designers, venue and sports team ownership have truly done everything to ensure this incredible new building is the very best it can be.’
This sentiment was endorsed by McQuaid: ‘The Clippers organisation went above and beyond to ensure that our tour audio team felt comfortable being the first show in the building. Having the opportunity to both conduct a construction site visit and deploy the touring PA system early for testing set us up for success.
‘The halo presents a unique challenge for a touring systems engineer; with a standard end-stage position it can be difficult to cover the upper corners of the bowl. Having the opportunity to create a solution using the installed house system to reinforce areas which need extra help, and to make the transition sound natural between the two zones, was something we focused a good portion of time on.
‘The energy in the building was palpable,’ he adds. ‘Seeing how happy the fans were to experience this show in a new space made it all worthwhile.’
More: www.clairglobal.com
