Texas Live is a new entertainment facility located in Arlington, Texas. The project celebrated its grand opening in August 2018, welcoming the public to its 200,000 square feet of dining and entertainment options. Upon completion in 2019 Texas Live will also feature a 300+ room upscale convention hotel, 35,000 square feet of meeting and convention space, plus an outdoor event pavilion, Arlington Backyard, accommodating up to 5,000 people.

Criterion Acoustics (CA) was chosen to assure that Texas Live exceeds all expectations for audio. Services provided include an environmental noise study, sound isolation design, noise control for mechanical/electrical/plumbing systems, and internal room acoustics.

“Texas Live is a massive playground that reflects the modern pastimes and culture of Texas,” says Amanda Lind, Ph. D., of Criterion Acoustics. “Arlington Backyard presented unique challenges for CA to address. This outdoor area included an open-air pavilion with flown speaker arrays. The facility wanted to be able to achieve optimal listening levels there without distributing the adjacent hotel tower, which required special care to ensure high acoustic quality.”

CA performed extensive computer simulations to get Texas Live’s acoustical properties right the first time. “A well-run simulation can save a project considerable money and time,” Lind explains. “We simulated how sound from the outdoor pavilion propagated to the nearby hotel towers, and the subsequent transmission through glass and the reverberation within the towers. These exercises led us to design a directional subwoofer configuration for the facility, among other components.”

CA also simulated Texas Live’s indoor area where sports broadcasts are viewed, to achieve the ideal sound properties. “There is a large interior viewing area, as well as adjacent bars and retail spaces,” says Lind. “We made a point of keeping reverb times down there, conscientiously balancing costs and acoustic quality. For example, we recommended perforated wood absorption to go with Texas Live’s glass façade-driven aesthetic.

“Making an informed decision about acoustic treatments can save a lot of money on a project of this scale,” Lind continues. “The wrong acoustic treatments can be unnecessary or ineffective. And if they aren’t considered at all, a large-volume space such as this would be stressful and unappealing to spend time in: having a normal conversation in a bar wouldn’t be possible.”

With Texas Live already drawing in large volumes of locals and tourists, the facility shows the importance of a well-executed acoustical design. “Ownership didn’t overspend and the customer feels comfortable in the space,” concludes Lind. “Whether they’re experiencing live music or a sports broadcast, the program material sounds clear without being overwhelming. People can fully enjoy being here.”