Mother Lode goes high-tech as it adds videoconferencing, wireless Internet and other technology to the theater.

The Mother Lode Theatre at 316 W. Park St. may be an antique, but it’s sporting state-of-the-art technology aimed at luring business conferences here.

"You’re not going to attract (conferences) if you just have speakers and tables," said Ray Rask, chief executive officer of Advanced Wireless Technologies, which donated videoconferencing, wireless Internet and other technology to the theater.

The science is complicated, but it means someone in Los Angeles, for example, can join a conference at the 1,200-seat Mother Lode without setting foot in Butte. People in both places could see and hear each over the Internet through videoconferencing.

"A decent-sized company needs this kind of thing to put on a successful conference," Rask said.

By Erin Nicholes of The Montana Standard

Full Story: http://www.mtstandard.com/articles/2005/04/21/newsbutte/hjjejfhijbjdii.txt