Project Description

Worcester, MA
Sound System & Rigging Upgrade

Challenges

The DCU Center Arena, a 14,000-seat venue in downtown Worcester, has been a cornerstone of New England’s entertainment landscape for over 40 years. Hosting concerts, sporting events, conventions, and family shows, the arena needed to modernize its aging sound system and rigging infrastructure to meet the technical demands of today’s top-tier productions. The existing system lacked the flexibility, clarity, and coverage required for high-profile events, and the venue required a solution that could be delivered on a tight timeline without disrupting its packed event calendar.

Solutions

Metinteractive partnered with Worcester-based Ostrow Electric Company to deliver a full-scale upgrade of the arena’s audio and rigging systems. Working under an aggressive six-month schedule, the team replaced the legacy system with a cutting-edge solution designed by Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) and WJHW. The new system features six clusters of EAW Adaptive Systems arrays, custom rolling carts for quick storage, and Motion Labs’ automated chain hoist rigging for streamlined deployment. Additional speakers were installed to cover mezzanine, catwalk, balcony, and ice floor areas, while FOH upgrades included a Yamaha DM7-C console and Dante-enabled fiber tie-ins. Metinteractive also provided hands-on training to local IA stagehands and facility staff, ensuring smooth operation and long-term sustainability.

“We were proud to work with three leaders in their respective fields — EAW, Ostrow, and Metinteractive — all based right here in New England, to bring the DCU Center into the 21st century. We’re thrilled with the results these partners made possible. The new sound system will enhance every event that comes through our doors — giving fans a whole new level of experience in the arena.”

John LaHair, Director of Marketing, DCU Center

“It was fun working with Metinteractive again,” notes Mills, who last teamed with the company on the University of Michigan. “Metinteractive staff was highly knowledgeable and eager to understand the capabilities of our equipment. When you work with people that talented, it makes everybody on the team sharper.”

John Mills, Technical Sales Manager, East, Eastern Acoustic Works