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| Community loudspeakers help to maintain the same sound quality indoors and outdoors at Casino |
Billed as “California’s Finest Casino”, Graton Casino is a Native American Casino located north of San Francisco not far from California’s famed wine country. Graton’s 340,000 square foot venue includes the casino itself with 3000 slots and 144 gaming tables, a poker room and high limit room, several restaurants, a food court and themed bars which feature live bands and DJs.
Graton’s attractive, open design includes sophisticated AV systems throughout the entire venue. AVDB Group, an integrator headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, installed Graton’s AV systems and completed much of the AV system design work after the original design firm ceased business operations.
Scott Oosthuizen, AVDB Group CEO, says Graton’s AV systems’ functionality and programming are comparable to the best casinos in Las Vegas. Graton’s AV systems communicate over a 254-channel Bluelink fiber network which distributes 48 audio sources and multiple satellite video channels. Source selection, volume control and other functions are available through Crestron control panels allowing managers to fine-tune the audio and video atmosphere for areas as diverse as the casino itself, the sports bar or the invitation-only, high-limit poker room. Graton’s audio systems are also integrated into its security system and voice paging system.
As part of their design work, AVDB Group recommended Community’s Distributed Design Series loudspeaker family for all areas of the casino. “We prefer the sound of the Community loudspeakers over the ones originally specified,” said Oosthuizen, “and substituting Community also helped us meet the customer’s budget.” Dropped ceiling areas utilise white Community D4, D8, D10 and D10SUB ceiling loudspeakers. The open-ceiling steak house features black DP6 pendant loudspeakers. Other areas, including the outdoor parking lot use white DS5 surface-mount loudspeakers. “The DS5s are weather-resistant,” said Oosthuizen, “so we were able to maintain the same sound quality indoors and outdoors.”
Local newspapers reported long lines of customers waiting to enter Graton during its opening in November of 2013 and reviews have been very positive. Oosthuizen says the casino’s owners are pleased with the sound quality throughout the casino and with the appearance and ease of operation of their AV systems.
