Uncovering Control Rooms: The Show Behind the Show 

When audiences take their seats and the lights dim, every cue that follows—video, audio, lighting, effects—relies on precise coordination. From performance venues to immersive attractions and even theme parks, the success of the guest experience hinges on what happens behind the scenes. The heart of that backstage magic is the control room.

But what exactly does a control room do in an entertainment venue, and why is it so critical to get it right? To answer that, we spoke with Ryan Palley, Senior Systems Design Engineer at McCann Systems, who has designed AV infrastructure for some of the most technically demanding entertainment environments in the world. 

In this Q&A, Ryan pulls back the curtain on control room design, revealing the technologies, decisions, and real-world pressures that shape these mission-critical spaces. 

SEE ALSO: The Keys to Live Sound Systems & Booking More Shows 

What is your experience with designing control rooms for entertainment venues, including theme parks? 

Ryan: “I have been the lead engineer on several theme park attractions that have required control rooms. From dark rides to rollercoasters and even a flume ride.” 

What core goals should a well-designed control room achieve? 

Ryan: “Ergonomics is very high on the list. You want the operators to be able to have minimal movements or strain while trying to watch guests. 

You also want to have failovers for failovers, meaning you want to have a fully redundant system available that won’t cause any downtime, which is critical for maintaining the guest experience and revenue.” 

What does the design process look like when starting a control room project from scratch? 

Ryan: “You first start with laying out the monitor and furniture designs in the space. Then you get into the actual turrets and what each operator must do. 

Some operators are just watching loading-unloading, others are looking at the other cameras for anything out of the norm. You might have another who is working with operations and attraction managers to look for specific events or people.” 

What considerations go into choosing the right hardware for these environments? 

Ryan: “The equipment needs to be capable of doing 16 hours days/365 days a year without failure. We obviously have some failures and that’s why we have redundant or ‘rollover’ systems.” 

Can you share a few examples of challenges or unique requests you’ve encountered? 

Ryan: “In one project, we were required to have 100 percent camera coverage of all guest areas and be able to record and recall these for up to 90 days. This was extremely challenging from both a camera placement and head end storage standpoint.” 

What’s a piece of behind-the-scenes complexity that guests never see but makes a huge difference in their experience? 

Ryan: “A lot of the rides are controlled down to PTP (Precision Time Protocol) timing or sub-microsecond, meaning when you go by a speaker or large dinosaur or any show action elements, they are precisely triggered for your experience.” 

What’s one misconception you often hear about control rooms in entertainment spaces? 

Ryan: “These spaces are usually highly secure and not everyone is allowed to even see inside, so I would say that a lot of mystery surrounds them.” 

If a venue manager is wondering if they need a control room upgrade, what signs should they look for? 

Ryan: “If they have a need to centrally manage and monitor, it’s a must. Most attractions these days need remote management to help with guest safety and improve guest flow and the overall experience.” 

How to Know If Your Venue Needs a Control Room Refresh

Entertainment venues evolve quickly. What worked five years ago may now be limiting your operations or undermining the audience experience. If your team is troubleshooting equipment before live events or working around aging systems that no longer play well together, it’s probably time to re-evaluate your control room.

At McCann, we bring deep technical expertise and real-world experience to AV solutions, helping businesses from New Jersey to Las Vegas and everywhere in between. 

If you’re thinking about your next move, let’s talk. We’d be glad to walk you through what’s possible (and practical) for your space.