By BRUCE GOULD, guest columnist
With less than one month until the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Brown County Music Center, I should not have been surprised when I walked into the theater one day last week and there was music.
The sound of “James Taylor’s Greatest Hits” was playing over all the speakers in the auditorium. I couldn’t help but sit for a while, soak in the wonderful sounds, and reflect on what has been created.
I walked over to the control booth to see what sound control equipment had been installed, but the only device was an iPad connected to the speakers. After talking myself out of cranking up the volume a little, I couldn’t help but imagine how much better the sound will be after all of the equipment, acoustic devices and seats are installed.
The seats arrived and installation began on July 15. Seat installation will take the better part of three weeks. A planogram for the seat spacing was generated by the seating company so that nobody will be looking at the back of a head in the row in front. The seats also have to line up to the aisles and be over a conduit buried in the floor that carries power for the aisle lights, which are mounted on the ends of the aisle seats. A team of professional seat installers will be performing the work from start to finish.
Special arrangements have been made with the Brown County Recycle Center to handle the cardboard from 2,000 seats, each of which is boxed individually.
Furniture has been ordered for the green rooms and carpet has also been ordered for those rooms and a few other areas. The green rooms are designed to add a sense of relaxation and hominess for the performers, who often spend a great deal of time away from their homes.
Earth moving for the road and parking areas has made much progress with the change in weather. A seemingly endless convoy of gravel trucks has been rolling into the parking lot and will be for some time. The circular drive at the entrance to the building has been cut and a number of sidewalks have been poured.
Volunteers have begun training for the many different jobs they will perform. A reliable cadre of volunteers is a requirement for a venue such as this. The volunteer staff will far outnumber the paid staff, but most volunteers will only work during events. Since most of the parking lot will not be asphalted immediately, extra volunteers will be needed in the parking area to make sure guests park responsibly.
Safety and security in a structure of this magnitude are paramount. The music center is being equipped with the latest state-of-the-art technology in terms of monitoring equipment and protocol to deal with virtually any incident that may arise. The right balance of visible layers of security elements will make guests feel safe.
The building has a designated medical unit to deal with any medical emergencies until EMTs arrive. For many events, EMTs will be on site during the event.
Landscaping plans are underway. Landscapers will start dressing areas as the earth moving is completed in a particular area. Since we are entering the hottest and driest time of the year, any planting will have to include regular watering. Actual planting is still several weeks away and will be an ongoing process for some time. Only some of the landscaping will be completed by the opening date.
Final details are being worked out on several elements of the project, such as the road and signage near the highway.
Everything necessary to open the venue to the public will be accomplished on time.
Bruce Gould is vice president of the Maple Leaf Management Group. Any questions about the Brown County Music Center can be sent to [email protected].
