Community Professional loudspeakers are part of a sophisticated AV installation at Graton Casino – billed as ‘California’s Finest Casino’. The venue is a Native American casino located north of San Francisco, not far from California’s wine country. The 32,000sqm venue includes the casino itself – with 3,000 slot machines and 144 gaming tables, a poker room and high limit room – plus several restaurants, a food court and themed bars that feature live bands and DJs.
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.
According to Scott Oosthuizen, AVDB Group CEO, 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 fibre 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 such as the casino, the sports bar or the invitation-only, high-limit poker room. The audio systems are also integrated into its security system and voice paging system.
As part of its 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 use 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 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.
