Target Center should sound $1 million better

By Jon Bream, Star Tribune

Last update: July 30, 2008 - 7:27 PM

The oft-maligned acoustics of Target Center should sound better by the time Celine Dion unleashes her stratospheric voice there on Oct. 30. That's because the city of Minneapolis approved $1 million in acoustic improvements for the city-owned arena.

"Acoustical technology and its importance have vastly changed since 1990 when Target Center opened and that change has accelerated even more over the past decade," Mayor R.T. Rybak said in a statement.

He was probably alluding to the superior acoustics of St. Paul's Xcel Energy Center, which is often regarded as one of the top-sounding arenas in the country. Since opening in 2000, Xcel has landed more big-name concert bookings than Target Center. However, since AEG Facilities took over management of the Minneapolis arena last year, it has booked more shows, including Nine Inch Nails, Journey, Tina Turner, Reba McEntire/Kelly Clarkson and Dion in the coming weeks.

Technically, the improvements will try to lower the building's low frequency reverberation and eliminate echoes and sonic reflections.

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