Anna Mitchell explores MGM Macau’s Storm Pool where immersive AV and storytelling converge to transform wellness into a bold, multi-sensory journey.
In the heart of MGM Macau, tranquillity meets theatricality in the Tria Spa’s extraordinary Storm Pool experience. This wellness space harnesses immersive AV technology to blur the boundaries between reality and simulation. Created through a collaborative effort led by Darren Kopas, executive director of resort technology and digital services at MGM, and Mike Ross director and founder of Blue Alchemy Labs, the attraction takes spa relaxation into uncharted sensory territory.
Conceived as a bold blend of themed entertainment and high-end wellness design, the Storm Pool surrounds guests in a dramatic narrative of nature - sunset, storm, and serenity - brought to life through synchronised lighting, audio, real water effects, and immersive LED displays.
From the outset, Kopas knew it would be a challenge. “It’s a spa, for one thing,” he says. “And we’re talking about adding an LED wall, lighting and other technical elements. Does that fit into the spa, for one? We were working in a saltwater environment with abundant natural light and hard surfaces – glass, stone and more. I wanted to make sure that all the other stakeholders were fully committed. And quite honestly, we put up all kinds of questions to test this.
“Product selection was important. We had to choose pieces that were going to be robust for day-to-day operation. We have a long history at MGM of technical entertainment spaces, so it had to be something that was in line with what we're doing in other areas, regardless of the physical size we were dealing with. It had to operate on our existing network, and it had to be easy to control by the spa team – both on a schedule and on-demand.
“The design team and the construction team would come back with creative adjustments to overcome every hurdle. So I thought, let’s lean in and do it, and that's when we reached out to Mike.”
A spa with a story
Blue Alchemy Labs led the creative direction, collaborating with Colour Theory, S1T2, and Emmy Award-winning composer Stephen Thomas Cavit. “One thing we were very aware of was how to leverage the technical elements of the space – LED, lighting, audio – to tell a story but not overwhelm people or make them feel uneasy or sick within the space,” says Ross.
“We want people to enjoy the experience; we couldn’t overwhelm them with the content.
“We took our typical background of attraction design and content and worked with Darren and his team to figure out what made sense in a spa.”
Ross indicates that the starting point for a lot of what was done within the spa came from an earlier project he’d worked on: the Fram Museum in Norway. In that space Ross had created a stormy seascape backdrop for the original Fram ship, used in 19th century arctic exploration. “We took some lessons from that because the seascape was so immersive and dramatic we actually had people feeling unsteady when they were within it,” says Ross.
The starting point for content was to have three different storm sequences. “As the idea developed, we thought let’s have one that’s a bit more mystical and magical and we wanted to play around with time and place,” says Ross. “So we have one that’s in the middle of the sea and one is on the shore, we have one at twilight. We wanted to allow for different moods and experiences. The mystical one is less storm and more wondrous with fireflies turning into manta rays and whales. We achieved three intensity levels and flavours.”
The result is three distinct immersive story arcs: Lucky Sky Rain, Golden Nightfall and Golden Water Dance.
Powering the experience
Under the surface, a technically sophisticated infrastructure manages this calm-within-the-storm.
Kopas oversaw the system design and integration, ensuring that spa elegance was never compromised by the considerable complexity involved.
An AV Stumpfl Pixera Mini Qaud media server sits at the heart of the system and is responsible for coordinating and commanding all technologies in the space, including the rain system, ensuring synchronisation between visuals, sound, and physical effects.
“These servers are very versatile, and are really the key piece to allow the detailed programming we required,” says Kopas. “We were able to take advantage of the layering capabilities within the Pixera server to make content challenges easier to resolve.
“We had to learn how to control a rain shower from a video system because at the time no one on the team had done that,” Kopas adds.
“It was really important to integrate the control of the rain show with the video system as everything starts with the video. We determine the intensity of the rain shower and the lighting from the video.”
The visual centrepiece is the dual LED wall setup, spanning 6m by 3m and 4m by 3m and made up of Absen AW2.5 panels. Driven by a Novastar MX40 Pro processor, these displays operate at a total resolution of 4,000 by 1,200 pixels. To support remote operation and streamline system management, the installation includes an Adder KVM system. Seamless LED integration into the pool’s architecture creates an immersive horizon line where video meets water. Immersion is further enhanced by a reflective ceiling that mirrors the water below. “A lot of people ask me if this is projection,” says Ross. “It’s fantastic that we achieved this effect with a mirror.”
Kopas notes that Absen was hands-on in testing the LED panels to ensure reliable performance in the humid, low-light environment, even working to modify the product to work better in the space. A special coating was applied to the LED to work well in the challenging conditions.
Above the pool, a custom-designed rain system provides real water effects that mirror the visuals onscreen - sprinkling gently as clouds form, intensifying with cinematic lightning flashes, then tapering to a warm drizzle as calm returns.
Overhead RGB lighting, networked through Pharos controllers, creates matching atmospheres that enhance the emotional pacing.
“We actually reduced the quantity of lighting from lighting surrounding you on four sides, to just two,” notes Kopas. “The initial quantity of lighting just felt like too much and we wanted to make sure that the way we did the lighting allowed for really good selfies and personal photos.”
The consideration of photography within spaces like this is a growing focus that places a new set of demands on AV and lighting. The extra care is worth the effort as it’s a distinct marketing avenue for leisure and entertainment spaces. “Ultimately we want guests to enjoy the space. We want people to take videos and photos and post them to social media, and we want them to look great,” confirms Kopas.
The immersive, spatial soundtrack, delivered through K-Array Vyper line arrays and Rumble-KU44 I subwoofers powered by a Kommander KA28 eight-channel amplifier, is as integral as the visuals. Spatial audio design ensures that thunder rumbles travel directionally across the space, birdsong or whale calls seem to float, and wave crashes envelop the listener.
“We don’t want guests to hear the experience pool before they enter it,” says Kopas. “So it’s about controlling the environment and using the pool itself as an absorbing material within a high reverb space.”
Audio signal processing and distribution is handled by a QSC Core 110f digital signal processor, supported by a network of QSC audio interfaces.
Ease of control was central to this project. Initial research into similar systems at other resorts uncovered some good ideas but with poor execution. Kopas and his team were driven to create not just a great experience but one that could be controlled professionally and seamlessly. To ensure a seamless user experience, MGM made it a priority to integrate the Storm Pool into the same control interface already familiar to spa staff.
Lighting, background music, and temperature are all managed via Crestron touchpanels and a Crestron control and distribution system. The experience pool was simply added to this existing infrastructure. “Within one or two clicks, staff can launch any one of the storm experiences or the nature video very easily,” says Kopas.
What makes the Tria Spa installation stand out is not only its ambition but its integration. From architectural drawings and load planning to network topology and GUI design, every element was purpose-built and coordinated.
In a world where themed AV is often loud and kinetic, the Storm Pool flips the script. It is sensory immersion used not to excite, but to soothe; technology in service of wellness rather than spectacle. It’s an approach that could shape how spas, hotels, and luxury environments integrate AV in the future, not just as an add-on, but as a core part of the guest experience.