TEN/2078 Moncrieff Entertainment Centre PA Replacement

Summary and scope

The current Public Address (PA) system at the Moncrieff Entertainment Centre (MEC) was procured in 2012 with considerations for a specific auditorium design and acoustics. To effectively meet the demands of performance operations and satisfy our patrons' needs, the MEC requires a modern, high-end PA system in 2023. The MEC is the cultural heart of the Bundaberg region. Boasting a 797-seat theatre, including 12 access seats for mobility impaired patrons and a hearing loop to support patrons with hearing impairments. The MEC features musical acts, performing arts, theatre broadcasts and live entertainment, as well as on-demand, indie and art-house films, and free community cinema movies. The MEC is also a multi-purpose space for a broad range of activities including community forums, visual art exhibitions, children’s activities, school concerts, and dance events held within a historic building that dates to 1911. The venue is a proscenium arch theatre with the existing PA / line array hanging on chain motors either side of the arch. Maximum weight of each side is 475kg including cabinets, cables, and rigging hardware. The auditorium has a single raked floor with no balcony and a roof running horizontal but not parallel to the floor. The auditorium is acoustically treated for amplified source, live performance, and cinema. There is no request for or point for centre cluster/speaker arrangement. The system does not require different modes such as flat floor or cabaret but may require the separation between the front and rear of the auditorium. The replacement system will have Left & Right flown units in a line array format with high frequency, mid frequency, and low frequency components of at least 8-10 cabinets. Frequency response is from 47 Hertz (Hz) to 18 kHz, with a maximum SPL of 132db. It will also have 2x Subs no bigger than 1200mm W x 600mm D x 620mm H for under stage. It will also have 10x 15 inch wedges and 8x front fill low profile speakers. The system will also include amplifiers, control equipment, leads and cables to operate the full system. Council proposes use of its standard Goods Contract with Installation Option. Council is seeking a suitable to supplier who has the ability to supply, deliver, install, commission the new system, and train staff between 19 - 24 February 2024.