First look at the redesigned Presentation Hall
It’s showtime for Mayo Civic Center’s revamped Presentation Hall.
The venue just underwent $2.5 million in upgrades as part of the Civic Center’s massive renovation and expansion project. The rehab included some highly-anticipated improvements, from new seating and dressing rooms, to improved acoustics and better lighting.
Andy Krogstad, managing director of Mayo Civic Center, says he’s thrilled with how the renovation of Presentation Hall turned out.
“Event goers are definitely going to notice the enhanced acoustics and new seating,” says Krogstad. “Our goal was to create a better experience for the customer, and I believe we have achieved this.”
Bob Ledo, of Kansas-based Avant Acoustics, helped lead the redesign of Presentation Hall. Speaking by phone, he told us the upgrades have made the space — first constructed in 1939 through a gift by Dr. Charles H. Mayo — more comfortable and inviting.
Ledo added that changes to the texture of the walls and height of the ceiling have helped minimize the impact of echoes, improving the sound quality for concert-goers regardless of where they’re sitting. (Even empty seats provide an acoustic function.) “Don’t be afraid of having a bad seat,” Ledo told us, “because there aren’t any.”
The enhanced Presentation Hall will host a full lineup of shows in the coming months as part of the Riverside Concerts indoor series. The 2017-18 season begins this Sunday, Oct. 29 with a performance by the acclaimed vocal ensemble Stile Antico.
Photography and video by William Forsman
