Business Case
Digital Sound Upgrade
McConnell Auditorium
November 2014
Contents
1.
Executive Summary...................................................................................................................2
 Sponsoring Department: Theatre Arts ........................................................................................ 2
 Date of Business Case Preparation: November 2014 .................................................................. 2
 Contact Person Name/Phone: Scott Robinson, Chair—Theatre Arts x1273 ............................... 2
2.
Definition: ................................................................................................................................3
3.
Addressing Problem with CWU Existing Tools and Products .......................................................5
4.
Organizational Impact: ..............................................................................................................6
 Stakeholders .................................................................................................................................. 6
 Primary Users ................................................................................................................................. 6
 Staff Impacts: ................................................................................................................................. 6
 Training: ......................................................................................................................................... 6
5.
Benefits: ...................................................................................................................................7
6.
Strategic Alignment: .................................................................................................................8
7.
Cost ..........................................................................................................................................9
 Cost Breakdown: ............................................................................................................................ 9
 Source of Funding .......................................................................................................................... 9
8.
Alternatives: .............................................................................................................................9
9.
Timing / Schedule: ....................................................................................................................9
11.
Product Life/Application Sunsetting or Decommissioning: ...............Error! Bookmark not defined.
12.
References:............................................................................................................................. 10
13.
Project Block Diagrams............................................................................................................ 11
14.
Quote: Morgan Sound ............................................................................................................ 14
15.
Quote: EVCO Sound and Electronic ......................................................................................... 22
16.
Recommendation: .................................................................................................................. 26
17.
Approvals ............................................................................................................................... 26
BUSINESS CASE | DIGITAL SOUND UPGRADE | MCCONNELL AUDITORIUM
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1. Executive Summary
McConnell Hall is home to the 750 seat McConnell Auditorium which is using a sound system that was added
during a 1979 renovation. In 2003, the building upgrade that replaced major components in the auditorium
included limited sound enhancement and no digital sound technology.
A new sound system has been one of the highest priority items for the Department for the past 15
years.
In 2006, the Department launched a new degree program in Musical Theatre. The current sound
system is a significant weakness of the Musical Theatre program as well as the Design and
Production program.
This proposal will bring this enterprise facility in line current and emerging industry and educational
standards.
The department has been preparing for this change for several years with peripheral enhancements
that will culminate in a total system overhaul. It is supported by broad financial backing including:
the Theatre Arts Department Student Services and Activities Committee, the Provost, and the
College of Arts and Humanities.

Sponsoring Department: Theatre Arts

Date of Business Case Preparation: November 2014

Contact Person Name/Phone: Scott Robinson, Chair—Theatre Arts x1273
New Product/Service
If there is a draft or sample contract, please provide a copy. Quote attached
Renewal of Existing Product/Service – if checked, include background information.
If there is a site license agreement, existing contract or new contract draft, please provide a
copy.
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2. Definition:
McConnell Hall was built in 1936 and is home to the 750 seat McConnell Auditorium and the 350 seat Milo
Smith Tower Theatre, flexible use theatre (commonly referred to as a “black box” theatre). McConnell
Auditorium is part of the original 1936 building and the Milo Smith Tower Theatre was added during a 1979
renovation. In 2003, the building underwent a $1.4 million life safety upgrade that replaced major
components in the auditorium but because of project cost overruns, did not replace all of the programmed
sound and lighting equipment slated for upgrade. A new sound system has been one of the highest
priority items for the department for the past 15 years.
The sound system in McConnell is well past its lifespan. The bulk of the components to the system have been
in operation since the last renovation in the early 1980s and optimized for movie playback to support a film
series hosted in the space at that time. The film series left the space in 2004 with the opening of the Student
Union and Recreation Center.
Advances in technology have left the space lagging in several significant and very important ways, which
significantly impacts space rent ability, faculty creative research, and most importantly the successful training
of our students with industry standard equipment. It is critical that we move from the outdated analog
system to digital technology.
The department began seeking funding for upgrades to the sound system in 1995. Improvements were
programmed in the 2003 renovation but were cut from the final scope of the project. For most of this time,
the Theatre Arts Department has tried to make do with a sound system that is still mostly in place. Several
of the components predate the 1979 renovation and are either beyond their live span, no longer perform at
an optimal level, have been rendered obsolete by technological advances, or are nonfunctioning all together.
In 2006, the Department launched a new degree program in Musical Theatre. This is the only
program of its type at Washington’s public baccalaureate colleges and universities. As part of this
program, the department produces no fewer than three productions each year that require the
support of a sound system to reinforce the student performers. The current sound system is a
significant weakness of the musical theatre program, as well as the Design and Production program.
Last Spring during the sold out showings of Les Miserables, seven extra speakers where put in
various locations in order to better serve the paying audience, allow the back-stage actors to hear
themselves, and to help the student mixer to hear what they were mixing.
Sound quality and volume varies in the balcony from left to right and in the center. The poor fidelity
of the system affects the quality of the higher tiered seats including differences in the bass, midrange and high frequencies. The main floor has areas that are referred to as “dead” space as the
sound seems to disappear and audience members are left with the inability to discern the spoken
or sung word. The sound also varies across the main floor with areas of augmented bass sounds or
augmented mid-range and high frequencies as well as areas of diminished bass or diminished midrange and high frequencies.
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The back of the main floor theatre has areas that reflect bass back into the room creating a muddied
sound, where it is extremely difficult to hear voices and discern what they are saying.
The sound engineers and mixing people, (individuals who are mixing the sound from the balcony)
have to guess at what the sound is like on the main floor as it is very different from what the balcony
sound is like.
The lack of proper monitoring system on stage results in actors unable to hear what is going on
across the stage. Actors on the stage can’t hear the orchestra over the sound of their voices in the
theatre and the farther upstage they move, the worse the sound becomes.
Many constituents use this space across campus and the greater Ellensburg community relies on a
proper functioning and viable sound system to hold successful events. Recently, the Ellensburg Film
Festival considered decided against holding an event in McConnell Auditorium due to the age,
reliability, and quality of the system.
Finally, this proposal marks a significant departure from a legacy analog sound system to a digital
system. Modern sound systems combine traditional components like speakers and amplifiers with
digital components and networks.
As an enterprise facility, decisions of partners and outside groups to move elsewhere have had a
significant impact on the facility’s bottom line.
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3. Addressing Problem with CWU Existing Tools and Products
It has become apparent that there are no existing tools or products on campus at this time that will
remedy the situation. Other than specialists in the Theatre Arts and Music Departments, there are
no individual that service any of the component pieces of the system.
Two consultants, from highly reputable firms, were brought to campus in the fall of 2013. Both
suggested a digital upgrade and sound enhancement to better serve the space and all users. To that
end, the department has secured over $130,000 from various partners including the Office of the
Provost, Dean of CAH, Student Services and Activities Committee, as well as department generated
funds.
Some integration components of the campus internet resources may be required to fully implement
the new systems and/or take full advantage of the system capabilities.
Several of the supporting peripherals are already in place. In anticipation of the project, a new digital
32-channel sound board ($3,500), a MAC OS computer ($4,000), and a rack-mounted MAC-mini
($1,500) were recently purchased to begin training and are currently in production, as is the recently
upgraded software package, QLab® 3.0. This academic year, acoustical panels ($4,000) are being
installed in preparation of the new system and to better the sound quality in the space.
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4. Organizational Impact:

Stakeholders: The primary stake holder is CWU’s Theatre Art. Theatre Arts is the primary user
for both public events and student training.
In addition, this multi-purpose sound system allows McConnell Auditorium to serve the many
various constituents that use the space throughout the year. These stakeholders and users
includes: CWU Orchesis Dance, CWU Film and Video Studies “Film Slam,” Washington Girls State
programming, local high school theatrical performances, the Central Washington Dance
Ensemble productions, State of the University address, Honors Convocation, First-Year
Orientation events, regional conference hosting, the Ellensburg Film Festival, and others. All of
these stake holders are supported by the Theatre Arts staff when using the space.

Primary Users: The Theatre Arts Department uses this space for no less than four to twelve
large-scale productions each year. This includes community partner productions and rentals as
well as program specific classes, rehearsals, and performances. Indeed McConnell Auditorium is
used nearly every day during the academic year, and even during the summer when summer
classes are held. A properly functioning sound system is crucial to the curriculum in service to
the faculty and students who use the space.

Staff Impacts: A reliable and versatile system will display the preparedness of McConnell
Auditorium for the many and varied events that occur in the space. This makes it easier for staff
to host and helps convey a polished outcome to all who take part in the event. Digital technology
will simplify systems and streamline the processes in student training, faculty creative
scholarship, and community outreach.

Training: One goal of this system is make it easily configurable by all who staff the space. A
training session or available documentation that explains how the system functions will likely be
something beneficial to setup each academic year.
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5. Benefits:
Visitors and attendees to the theatre bring in a significant amount of funding to the university. If
paying audience members are satisfied with their experience in McConnell’s space, they are more
likely to continue to come to events, and contribute to programming revenues.
Further, a space that is up-to-date helps to encourage students to apply to Central Washington
University—in addition to helping to maintain the ability to hold on to students for the duration of
their academic career. Students happy with the performance space they work in convey this
contentment to new recruits looking to pursue their education in a modern and trend-relevant
environment.
As universities strive to recruit new students, the campus environment and habitat become more
and more important for student recruitment and retention. Out-of-date facilities make it difficult to
attract students into our program.
Theatre Arts is in a unique position to display its facilities to every individual who attends an event
in McConnell Auditorium. The better our space looks, sounds, and functions, the more word travels
that CWU’s McConnell Auditorium study the art of theatre and attend events, as well as a great
place to be as a faculty member, or as a perspective student.
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6. Strategic Alignment:

This project fully aligns with the following Shared Values of the current Strategic Plan:
Student Success: CWU believes that student success is best achieved by providing supportive
learning and living environments that encourage intellectual inquiry, exploration, and
application. CWU believes that learning is best achieved in small classroom or group settings
with ample opportunities for individualized instruction, mentoring, advising, and programming.
Engagement: CWU believes that learning, research, and creative expression are enhanced by
engagement with external partners. CWU believes that as a publicly-funded institution, it has a
responsibility to help address the social and economic challenges faced by our communities.
Inclusiveness: CWU believes that diversity of peoples, cultures, and ideas is essential to learning,
discovery, and creative expression. CWU believes that all faculty, staff, and students must be
and must feel physically, professionally, and emotionally safe in order to fully engage in and
benefit from the university experience.
Facilities: CWU believes that state-of-the-art, safe, and attractive facilities enhance the working
and learning environments of faculty, staff, and students. CWU also believes that state-of-theart technologies provide leverage for the efforts of faculty, staff, and students.

This project fully aligns with the following Core Themes of the current Strategic Plan:
Objective 1.1: Enhance student success by continually improving the curricular, co-curricular,
and extracurricular programs.
Objective 3.1: Increase the emphasis on and the opportunities for students, faculty and staff to
participate in research, scholarship, and creative expression activities.
Objective 3.2: Increase the external funding received for research, scholarship, and creative
expression by faculty, staff, and students.
Objective 4.1: Enhance the commitment and the level of collaboration between the university
and external communities.
Objective 4.3: Enhance the efforts of members of the university community to strengthen the
economic base of the region and state.
Objective 5.4: Provide the facility and technology infrastructure and services appropriate to
meet the university objectives, while maximizing sustainability and stewardship.
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7. Cost

Cost Breakdown:
Costs
State-of-the-art Digital sound system
Installation
Total Costs
$130,000
included
$130,000 – 180,000
No ongoing contract costs are anticipated with this project.

Source of Funding (Project ID):
Theatre Arts
Provost
CAH
Student Service and Activities
5345250-1
3240050-0
3251800-0
5341200-0
30,000-80,000
40,000
10,000
50,000
Theatre Art has also intends to incorporate the regular service, upgrades, and replacement in
to their ongoing equipment maintenance plan.
8. Alternatives:
Alternative
Reasons For Not Selecting Alternative
Status Quo
Technology is moving further from our grasp each year that
passes, training of our students falls further behind industry
standards, and possible revenue streams are passing by.
9. Timing / Schedule:
Task
Target Date
Final RFP
Feb 2015
Awarding of Bid
April 2015
Installation
Summer 2015
(August / September)
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10.Technology Migration/Resource Identification:
IT become essential as the systems will seek some network capability.
Resource
Requirements
Timeframe
Theatre Dept
Information Services
Facilities
Dec 14 – Oct 15
Dec 14 – Oct 15
Resource
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
June
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Project Manager
5
10
25
7
7
7
30
40
40
10
Media Technician
10
10
10
Network Services
4
4
4
Nov
Dec
5
Total Hours
11.
Product Life/Application Sunsetting or Decommissioning:
It is anticipated that the system will have a life expectancy of 25 years, or more. Once this major change is
in place, it is expected that the Theatre Arts department will be able to make required updates and
replacements under the current technology replacement plan.
12.
References:
The Theatre Arts faculty member in sound design and technology has been in contact with several
individuals at highly-qualified sound consultants in Washington State.
 Morgan Sound
2004 196th St SW Suite #2
Lynnwood, WA 98036
866-860-8233
425-771-7257
The Theatre Arts Department has had significant experience with this vendor over
the past two years--in customer service, purchasing, and product support.
 Evco Sound & Electronics
3511 East Trent Avenue
Spokane, WA 99202
509) 535-8718
fx: (509) 534-2795
toll free: (888) 535-EVCO(3826)
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13.
Project Block Diagrams
Morgan Sound
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EVCO Sound
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14.
Quote: Morgan Sound
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15.
Quote: EVCO Sound and Electronic
Central Washington University
Ellensburg, Washington
McConnell Hall Budgetary Sound System Upgrades
Prepared By:
Evco Sound and Electronics 3511 East
Trent Avenue Spokane, Washington
99202
Phone: 509-535-8718
Fax: 509-534-2795
Contact: Rich Williams Date:
November 27, 2013
3511 E Trent Ave. ~ Spokane, WA 99202 ~ (509) 535-8718 ~ (509) 534-2795 Fax
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Description
The following Budgetary Quotes address two approaches to solving the sound system issues at
McConnell Hall. The Nexo system uses true line arrays, two flown in a stereo configuration. The
hardware used will allow the line arrays to be removed for touring acts that may bring their own
equipment in the future. Motors for raising and lowering the line arrays are not included. Options to
the Nexo system include front fills mounted on the front lip of the stage with the line arrays adjusted
to cover the upper seating and the addition of subwoofers located in the face of the stage. Mounting
of the line arrays will be between the front lip of the stage and the first catwalk and secured to the
structure above the ceiling.
The Community solution provides two speaker cabinets per side (left-right configuration) suspended
from the bottom of the first catwalk that will provide good coverage of the Theatre seating. An
optional 4x15” subwoofer is offered and would be flown center at front of the stage.
Both quotes include the rental of a lift for high work and having the Universities Structural Engineer
review the speaker loads on the building structure.
Any additions or revisions for electrical power are not included in the budgetary quotations.
A separate Budgetary Quote is provided for replacement of the existing mixing console with a
digital console with 64 channel capability. An option to that Quote offers a 32x16 Digital Stage Box
Kit that would allow many options but one expressed was the capability to mix from the main floor
of the Theatre.
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NEXO Speaker Configuration and Options
Quantity
14
2
3
2
16
64
1
10
500’
1
1
1
Description
NEXO GEOS1210, 10 Degree Speaker Modules
NEXO GEOS1230, 30 Degree Speaker Modules
NEXO GFT-FLG 120 Degree Dispersion Flanges
NEXO GPT-Bumper Touring/Production Bumpers
NEXO GPT-XBOW Mini Crossbow for S12 Speaker Modules
NEXO VXT-BL820 Quick Release Pins
NEXO NXAMP4X4 Power Amplifier with Speaker Processing, Requires 30
amp AC Power Dual Receptacle
Conquest N212 3, 3’ Speaker Module Jumper Cables
West Penn 227 Speaker Cable
Lowell LER-4027 Equipment Rack
Lowell LMB-27 Caster Base
Programming and Equalization
Budgetary Total, $110,500.00
6
1
2
6
*OPTION 1 Add Front Fill Speakers*
NEXO PS8U Front Fill Speakers
NEXO NXAMP4X1Power Amplifier
West Penn 227 Speaker Cable
NEXO VNI-UBRK8 U-Brackets and Mounting Hardware
Budgetary Total Option 1, $21,000.00
6
2
*OPTION 2 ADD SUBWOOFERS*
NEXO RS-18PI 18” Subwoofers
NEXO NXAMP4X4 Power Amplifiers, 30 amp AC Power Required
Budgetary Total Option 2, $60,500.00
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Community Speaker Configuration and Options
Quantity
2
2
4
1
1
1
1
3
1
Description
Community SLS960 Speaker Cabinet, Biamplified
Community SLS920 Speaker Cabinet, Biamplified
Community Seat Track Kits and Hardware
Crown DCi 4/600 High and Low Frequency Amplifier, SLS920
Crown DCi 4/1250 High and Low Frequency Amplifier, SLS960
Biamp Audia Flex DSP with 1-IP2 Input Card and 5-OP2e Output Cards
Reuse the Existing Equipment Rack
West Penn 227 Speaker Cable
Programming and Equalization
Budgetary Total, $54,000.00
1
1
1
1
1
1
Digital
Mixing
Console
and
Options
*OPTION 1 ADD SUBWOOFER*
Community SBS45 4-15” Subwoofer Enclosure
Community DSPEC226AN 2x6 Subwoofer DSP
Crown CDi6000 Amplifier in Bridged Mono Mode
Subwoofer Flying Hardware and Isolators
West Penn 227 Speaker Cable
Programming and Equalization
Budgetary Total Option 1, $27,500.00
Quantity
1
1
1
1
Description
Yamaha LS9-32 Digital Mixer 64 Inputs plus 4 Stereo Inputs, 16 Outputs
Yamaha LA1L Console Light
Studio Slips LS9-32 Slip Cover
Programming, Mixing Console Set Up and Training
Budgetary Total, $15,000.00
1
1
1
1
1
*OPTIONAL STAGEBOX AND INSTALLATION FOR REMOTE MIX*
Yamaha 32X16 STAGEBOX KIT
Gator G-Tour SHK 12 CA Shock Style Portable Stagebox Equipment Rack
Main Floor Mix Location Receptacle and Box Configuration
West Penn 4245OSP Cat5 Cable from Stagebox to Remote Mix Location
Programming and Stagebox Set Up
Budgetary Total, $18,000.00
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16.
Recommendation:
It is recommended that the department move forward with the implementation of their plan
to upgrade the sound systems of McConnell Auditorium.
17.
Approvals
This section should be left blank.
The following actions have been taken by the appropriate Sub-Council (ATAC or Non-Academic
Sub-Council) and University Enterprise Team:
Date
Action
By
12/1/14
Approved
EISC
Upon approval by the Enterprise Information Systems Committee (EISC) or one of the two Sub-Councils
(Academic or Non-Academic), CWU procurement policies and procedures should be used to initiate a
purchase. Please contact the Purchasing office at x1001 with any questions regarding the procurement
process.
If you have any questions, please contact Ginger McIntosh 963-1466, Sue Noce 963-2927 or Tina Short
963-2910.
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