As cultural hubs in many cities across the nation, mixed-use developments are continuing to change the landscape of many urban areas. Typically seen as “live, work, play” districts, these spaces bring together a variety of businesses in varying sectors including entertainment, hospitality, retail, residential living, commercial enterprise, and wellness.

A 2019 study by Oxford Economics determined that prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the live music industry generated a total fiscal impact of $17.5 billion and is expected to reach nearly $34 billion in 2023. As many of these districts are developed around stadiums, arenas, and theatres – the live event component of any mixed-use development is becoming too big to ignore.

Considerations for Entertainment
Gone are the days of stand-alone entertainment venues. Today’s venues are not only being used for their initial concept, but are being redesigned, reimagined, and upgraded to facilitate a wide variety of opportunities. While the entertainment venue is typically the beacon/flagship of the development, the supporting mixed-use district that encompasses the venue is the lifeblood (pulse) that sustains and attracts visitors’ day in day out. Designing these new, or re-purposed, entertainment mixed-use developments highlights a variety of factors and challenges for owners, developers, design and construction teams, and authorities.

Project phasing, juggling the needs of the various project stakeholders, and long lead times for key equipment can sometimes lead to challenges when developing entertainment mixed use projects. Issues are most seen if a project is developer and price driven due to a first cost focus. But even a shorter term (1–5-year payback) could yield different strategies and therefore results. When and how a facility is going to be used is a critical element in helping the project and team deliver on the overall goals.

Some venues run on a complex 24/7 schedule that can have significant impacts on equipment run times and use cycles that can lead to challenges for these facilities. A solution would be sharing equipment with other nearby developments or tenants. In those instances, it may lend itself to strategies such as thermal storage where demand management or load shifting are more advantageous. Other options include leveraging equipment or storage to support adjacent tenants and help reduce the amount of equipment purchased for a site.

Sustainability/Energy Savings/Regeneration
As is the case in all building types, it is critical for entertainment venues to have a sustainable and regenerative mindset. Sustainable approaches for these facilities should be balanced with existing building systems and staff capabilities. Building systems should be provided with DDC (Direct Digital Controls) type controls to allow for greater system control and monitoring to reduce energy usage and allow for remote monitoring/fault diagnostics to keep the building owner and operator informed of building performance.

Building commissioning is one of the best risk management strategies in the construction industry because, regardless of whether a facility is new construction or under renovation, nothing is more important than constructability, functionality, and maintainability. A good preventative maintenance program is also key to ensuring continued system performance. Additionally, a thorough operational and education plan is necessary for staff to educate them on the facility and the owner’s goals and best practices for achieving them.

Case Study: YouTube Theater
Henderson Engineers provided building systems design for YouTube Theater at Hollywood Park. Beneath the same canopy of the new SoFi Stadium and American Airlines Plaza, the 6,000 seat, three-story, 227,000 square-foot venue is part of the 298-acre Hollywood Park development revitalizing Inglewood, California.

Like many entertainment projects, it was challenging because of the different timelines. Despite these challenges, we were able to take advantage of our in-house expertise over a wide variety of project types and accurately dial the entertainment venue’s requirements even though its design lagged that of the stadium.

This was a rare instance in which we were able to take advantage of the adjoining SoFi Stadium’s systems. The stadium hydronic system, which also serves the venue, was designed knowing the facility adjacent to the venue had capacity that could be used at various times. Using the diversity of schedule, this allowed the project to minimize equipment footprint within the venue and the cost of a standalone system.

What It All Means
With live events becoming a key component of mixed-use developments, it is imperative we look at a wholistic and sustainable approach to the infrastructure capable of supporting the venues that host them. If the project can support it, centralized systems would be the way to go. If that’s not an option, other methods listed above such as commissioning, good preventative maintenance, among others should be employed.

Henderson Knows Entertainment
In entertainment, a great atmosphere is essential to enhance the experience. From watching a larger-than-life show in a sold-out theater, to winning big at the blackjack table, or experiencing the musical talents of your favorite superstar – it’s the little things that count. We focus on the intricate details that add up to a substantial impact for your customers in theaters, casinos, and other entertainment venues across the country. We craft an unforgettable space with services like environmental noise control, integrated security, and the latest technology to make sure the end user can share the experience with others. We engineer premier entertainment destinations where memories are made. To learn more, click here.

Henderson Knows Mixed-Use
People crave memorable experiences, and there’s no better destination than one that caters to an all-inclusive environment. We apply our knowledge of different building types and systems to create a harmonious blend of retail stores, restaurants, offices, hotels, and entertainment. As your building partner, we can help with site and utility planning for future construction all the way through designing the building systems for the unique spaces within the development. Whether it’s from the ground up or a renovation to stay relevant, we’ll help create a space that keeps people coming back for more. To learn more, click here.