The city of Carlsbad is now seeking bids for audio and video upgrades in the Ruby G. Schulman Auditorium at the Dove Library.
Each year, the auditorium, located at 1775 Dove Lane, attracts roughly 20,000 guests with over 250 events, including live music performances, dance and piano recitals, play readings, author lectures, public meetings and the State of the City Address.
In recent years, the audio-video and lighting systems, some of which are more than a decade old, have started to fail, prompting the need for new equipment to meet industry standards, according to the staff report.
Once installed, the new systems are expected to last at least 15 years.
The original proposal and design, approved in July 2022, called for audio-visual, lighting and infrastructure upgrades to both the auditorium and Cannon Art Gallery. The city later dropped the art gallery from the project due to budget constraints, focusing on the more urgent upgrades at the auditorium.
The city’s Infrastructure Replacement Fund will pay the estimated $1,327,932 cost of upgrades at Schulman Auditorium.
The latest project design and building permits were approved in August 2023, setting the stage for bid invitations. In early 2024, bid results will be presented to the City Council during contract award considerations.
The updates at Cannon Art Gallery will be reevaluated for City Council consideration and approval at a future date.
