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Marina Bay Sands
Singapore

OWNER: Las Vegas Sands
DESIGN ARCHITECT: Moshe Safdie Architects
GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Ssangyong Engineering & Construction Co.
TOTAL INVESTMENT: $5.7 billion

The newest beacon in the gaming industry is an engineering marvel on the shores of the bay in Singapore, Las Vegas Sands’ Marina Bay Sands. One of two integrated resorts approved by the Singapore government (see last year’s Building Excitement for Genting’s Resorts World Sentosa), Marina Bay Sands has become the newest “must-see” attraction in Singapore.
    
The three sloping towers are capped off by a three-acre SkyPark that is both an engineering miracle and a solution to a more mundane problem: the lack of available land.
    
“Once we laid the footprint of the building, we still lacked the necessary location for the amenities of the hotel complex, which include swimming pools, gardens and jogging paths,” lead architect Moshe Safdie explains.
    
The base for the SkyPark was constructed offsite and trucked to the location, where the 14 separate segments were hoisted by crane and locked in place. Originally limited to the footprint of the towers, designers decided—after consulting a feng shui expert—to cantilever a portion of the end of the north tower.
   
The result is dramatic. At 653 feet above the ground, the SkyPark contains restaurants, spas, lounges, observation platforms, trees and vegetation, and the world’s most dramatic “infinity”-edged pool.
   
But the SkyPark is only part of the drama that is Marina Bay Sands. The atrium lobby of the hotel soars 23 stories, and its construction necessitated huge steel struts which crisscrossed the atrium.
   
Not only is the building a work of art, but it houses many large-scale art installations that were commissioned from such artists as Antony Gormley, Chongbin Zheng, James Carpenter, Ned Kahn and the late Sol LeWitt.
   
Other elements of the resort include a three-level shopping mall, featuring Las Vegas Sands’ signature gondolas floating on an indoor canal. In excess of 1 million square feet of meeting space will attract delegates to fill the 2,500 rooms. More than 20 restaurants, addressing every style and type of dining, give customers a wide choice. An outdoor amphitheater seats over 10,000 for al fresco performances. And an ArtScience Museum recently debuted to cap off an eight-month grand opening process.
   
And to top it all off, the casino at Marina Bay Sands has proven to be one of the most successful in the world, producing revenues that exceed the lofty expectations that Las Vegas Sands had outlined prior to construction.    

But the biggest success of the property is the iconic nature that has attracted tourists from around the world… exactly what the Singapore government had in mind when it approved integrated resorts more than eight years ago.

Four Winds Hartford Casino
Hartford, Michigan

OWNER: Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians
DESIGN FIRM: Hnedak Bobo Group (HBG)
TOTAL INVESTMENT: $40 million

The Hnedak Bobo Group (HBG) of designers has helped the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians of Michigan to build on its reputation for creating a new standard for gaming in the Midwest with a design for its satellite Four Winds Hartford. The new casino will remind visitors of everything they like about the original Four Winds Casino in New Buffalo, such as a smaller version of the popular Timbers Fast Food and Deli.
   
When it opens in August, it will maintain a comfortable familiarity with the original, although it will be smaller, 52,000 square feet, with 500 slot machines and nine table games. It is located less than an hour away from its big sister casino.
   
The exterior of the casino is built around an iconic 50-foot-tall chimney structure next to the casino’s porte cochere that recalls the tribe’s cultural identity as “keepers of the fire.” Round cedar columns support the porte cochere. According to HBG’s project manager Paul Bell, “The design is inspired by regional, rustic elements that connect tribal references and symbolism.”
   
The chimney tower itself creates a hearth room, between the casino’s foyer and its retail shop, centered on a circular fire pit covered by a copper hood. From this fire pit to the seam metal mansard roofs, visitors will be pleasantly reminded of the original Four Winds at the same time the tribe’s cultural heritage is reinforced and celebrated.
   
As tribal Chairman Matt Wesaw puts it, “It didn’t lake long for the principals of HBG to understand our culture, traditions, philosophy, and our intent to translate the quality level of our Four Winds New Buffalo Casino into the design of the Four Winds Hartford.”
    
But that is to be expected from a design firm whose list of accomplishments include the just-opened Wind Creek Casino and Hotel along Alabama’s Gulf Coast, and Harrah’s Prairie Band expansion on the Kansas plain. HBG is a design firm that specializes in bringing the dreams of gaming tribes to life in stunning cultural expressions.

Paiza Room, Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

OWNER: Las Vegas Sands Corporation
PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT: HD Architects
INTERIOR DESIGNER: Floss Barber Inc.
CONTRACTOR: Alvin H. Butz Inc.
TOTAL INVESTMENT: $30 million*
*Cost is for total expansion project, including hotel. LVS does not release individual project costs

The big news last month was the grand opening of the Sands Hotel in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, which made the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem only the second Pennsylvania casino to offer hotel rooms. But one portion of the overall $800 million hotel project was a gem of a casino addition that went with the project—the Paiza Room.
   
The Paiza Room, designed by Philadelphia-based Floss Barber, Inc., is a high-end gaming room that gives the Pennsylvania casino an element that stands up to any high-end gaming room offered by the venerable operator. The 6,600-square-foot room, which includes 17 tables—eight blackjack, eight midi-baccarat, one roulette—exudes a simple, classic elegance and an understated theming that gives a subtle nod to LV Sands’ Asian mega-resorts.
   
Instead of bold reds seen typically in Asian gaming rooms, Paiza uses earth tones and gold, accented by red-felt tabletops and, overhead, a glass sculpture by Lasvit of the Czech Republic.
   
Suspended from the ceiling and visible through a window on the room’s exterior facade, the umber-gold glass sculpture is “dragon-like,” says Floss Barber, founder and principal of the interior design firm.            The sculpture sets the stage for the rest of the room. “What was important to us was that the room be simple and elegant, have a timelessness to it, and relate to the casino,” Barber says. “There is an ever-so-slightly tilted ceiling. We were very aware of feng shui, so we wanted to make sure there were curvilinear, organic forms in the carpet—half-red moons.”
   
This design extends to two private gaming salons included in the room, each with a buffet that mirrors the buffet in the main room. (The room also includes an exclusive bar and lounge with flat-screen televisions.)
   
Barber adds that she took care to assure the design of Paiza conveyed the main purpose of the room, which is exclusivity for good players. “When you’re in that room, you’re really the high-limit player,” she says. “It is completely secluded, with upholstered walls, a crystal chandelier, and wall art.”
   
The design created by Barber (project manager/designer was Patricia
Rauner), who also designed all three of the Emeril Lagasse restaurants at the property (with project management by Joe Alteari), does the job of conveying what the Sands is all about.

Hard Rock Café Tampa
Tampa, Florida

OWNER: Seminole Band of Indians
INTERIOR DESIGNER: 555 Design Fabrication Management
CONTRACTOR: KHS&S
TOTAL INVESTMENT: Approximately $12 million

In 2010, when Hard Rock International retrofitted a former Tampa nightclub as its latest Hard Rock Café, it chose “a grand gesture” to define the interior bar.
   
And grand it certainly is: the dramatic canopy, developed by KHS&S Contractors of Tampa and Anaheim and Radius Track Corporation of Minneapolis, includes five steel arches made up of a series of complex, compound curves that recall the famous Hollywood Bowl.
   
At its largest dimensions, the contemporary frame is 19 feet high, 49 feet wide and 41 feet long, and soars above the 17,500-square-foot “rockcentric” venue, which will serve as the prototype for other Hard Rock Cafés opening around the world this year.
   
The archway was created using Building Information Modeling 3D technology (BIM), which enabled the designers to create the unique arches off-site to exacting dimensions, and install them ahead of deadline. In April, the project won an award of merit in the Excellence in Construction Awards, sponsored by the Gulf Coast chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc.
   
All Hard Rock locations are known for their collections of rock memorabilia. The Tampa location also has an interactive “Rock Wall,” which describes the memorabilia, including an autographed fedora once worn by King of Pop Michael Jackson, the guitar used to record the Lynyrd Skynyrd rock anthem “Free Bird,” and a necklace of safety pins made by Jim Morrison of the Doors.
   
The Hard Rock Café Tampa, inside the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, also is the first and so far only café in the 40-year-old franchise to include a blackjack pit.
   
Interior designer 555 Design Fabrication Management of Chicago devised rock-themed architectural details like six-foot chandeliers fabricated from interior speaker cones; wall niches containing crystal LED lights; hanging light fixtures made of stacked drum cymbals; and thousands of guitar amplifier cords strung together and hung as modern art beside the band shell stage.
   
The dining area seats around 300 people; patio dining is also available. The Hard Rock Café officially opened in January

Entryway Flooring, SugarHouse Casino
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

OWNER: HSP Gaming, Inc.
ARCHITECT: Cope Linder Architects
INTERIOR DESIGNER: Floss Barber Inc.
ADDITIONAL DESIGN: Construction Specialties, Inc.
CONTRACTOR: Keating Building Corp.
TOTAL INVESTMENT: $550 million*
*Cost is for entire temporary casino. Costs of individual elements not released.

Walk into the SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and one of the design elements that may catch your eye is below your feet. The floor of the main entryway is integral to a brightly colored, modernistic design that draws you into the property, which opened last year.
   
But what you may not realize is that the attractiveness of the floor is helped along by technology. Immediately inside the front doors is a stretch of angled metallic tiling that blends seamlessly with the brightly colored floor within. The tiles are made from a flooring element known as “Floorometry.”
   
Introduced two years ago by Pennsylvania-based Construction Specialties, Inc., Floorometry is a modular flooring constructed of a stainless steel grid system that traps dirt and water before patrons reach the main floor of the facility.
   
“This is a brand-new take on entrance flooring that utilizes high-end finishes in custom geometric configurations,” explains Curt Fessler, marketing and product development manager for Construction Specialties. “It follows the geometry in the floor art in your entranceway, and makes a first impression with a very functional product. It’s a perfect fit for higher-end projects like casinos.”
   
Renee Hite, facility sales target account manager at Construction Specialties, adds that the geometric configuration protects the interior flooring by absorbing dirt and water at the point of entry. “Floorometry 101 has a linear shape that allows a huge amount of dirt and water to fall through and be captured underneath the tile,” she says.       

Fessler says this drainage technology is a particular advantage at SugarHouse, where customers track the Philadelphia winter inside. “Just look at the other materials chosen for the SugarHouse project,” he says. “It’s a really nice, ceramic glass tile. That’s not the kind of flooring finish you want damaged because you’re letting dirt go further into the building than the doorway.”
   
The 18-by-18-inch tiles fit the floor design because of their linear design, which matches seamlessly into the rest of the floor application. “They used a very bold, abstract linear theme, so the look of the product in the entryway provided the metallic look they were seeking,” he says.

Nikki Beach
Tropicana Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada

OWNER: Tropicana Las Vegas 
ARCHITECT: Bergman Walls & Associates
INTERIOR DESIGNER: Laurence Lee Associates
CONTRACTOR: MBCI
TOTAL INVESTMENT: $180 million*
*Cost is for entire renovation of Tropicana Las Vegas

The “dayclub” has become a new element of casino resorts, allowing executives to get the most out of every space in the property. Pools that were once empty when the sun went down are now the center of attention around the clock.    

At the Tropicana Las Vegas, the debut of Nikki Beach Las Vegas allows that concept to unfold at one of the Strip’s most venerable hotels. The Tropicana pool has a storied history in Las Vegas, presenting the first “swim-up” blackjack games and the first “floating” craps game.
   
The decline of the property over the last 20 years has now been reversed as CEO Alex Yemenidjian directs a $180 million renaissance of the Tropicana. Renovated hotel rooms, new restaurants, cutting-edge entertainment, a revitalized casino with a state-of-the-art sports book, and a new “hip” attitude has made the property the place to be in Las Vegas. 
   
Nikki Beach, a stylized lifestyle club, has been around for more than a decade with facilities in the world’s hot spots like St. Tropez, Miami Beach, Cabo San Lucas, St. Barth and many other locations worldwide. Its presence at the Cannes Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival makes Nikki Beach the place where the beautiful people hang out.
   
At the Tropicana, the advantage of mature landscaping gave Nikki Beach a head start to its natural settings, even though it lacks an ocean. But the Tropicana has much more than simply a nightclub/dayclub setting. Nikki Beach brings with it 24-hour dining at Café Nikki overlooking the Nikki Beach Club.
    
And the brand-new 15,000-square-foot Club Nikki provides guests with a truly unique Las Vegas experience. Guests enjoy Nikki signature touches such as the elegant all-white color scheme and the European-style VIP service, but they will also discover an organically designed decor offering different elegant settings according to the mood of the night.
   
As the Tropicana renovation speeds toward completion, the addition of the Nikki Beach brand will ensure that visitors realize that the property is “not your father’s Tropicana” anymore.

Grosvenor G Casinos
United Kingdom

OWNER: Rank Group Plc
DESIGNER: Cadmium Design
INVESTMENT: Approximately £1.3 million per property

The Grosvenor Casino division of U.K.-based gaming entertainment operator Rank Group Plc has been using design to create a lighter, more joyous experience for guests of its G Casino-branded venues.
   
Starting with the first Grosvenor G Casino in Manchester in 2006, Grosvenor has been working toward its goal of having 20 of the properties by the end of 2012. By the end of 2011 the company expects to have 16 operational.   

What sets the Grosvenor G Casino apart from its predecessor is a matter of intent on the part of the operator. Where the traditional Grosvenor property is primarily a place to concentrate on the game, the G Casino encourages guests to eat, drink and play in a more social environment.   

From the beginning, achieving that result has been the task of Cadmium Design. The London firm created the design concept for the original Manchester property, and has been involved in the implementation of the work throughout.
   
The Grosvenor G Casino experience begins outside the entrance, where the use of light and signage draws the visitor into the property. Immediately inside the entrance area, the environment is energized with the feel of an entertainment space, full of light and life, with no barriers to exploring further. A “games wall” reminds the visitor that this is all about play.
   
The visitor then proceeds to the main gaming floor. But instead of being confronted immediately by the tables, a “veil” of Perspex panels offers separation from the games, while at the same time allowing a reconnaissance of the action. On closer inspection the panels are decorated with illustrations of faces expressing various versions of joy. Throughout the casino, elements of humor keep turning up, often where one least expects.   

The rapid pace of technological advancement has played an important part in the G Casino evolution. In just the past five years, new materials and printing techniques have brought down the costs of creating some key effects. To convert three existing Grosvenor Casinos in 2010 cost a total of £3.9 million.
   
The strategy appears to be working. In a comparison of provincial casinos—those outside London—the G Casinos averaged 1,300 more visits per property per week than the 2,300 recorded at their Grosvenor counterparts. Average weekly EBITDA at the G Casinos was £29,200 compared to £16,800.
   
Lower costs and more revenue? Sounds like successful casino design.

Thunder Valley Casino Hotel Expansion
Lincoln, California

OWNER: United Auburn Indian Community
ARCHITECT: JMA Architects
INTERIOR DESIGNER: Steelman Partners
CONTRACTOR: PENTA Building Group
CIVIL ENGINEER: Martin & Martin
INVESTMENT: $1 billion

Thunder Valley Casino was already one of the state’s biggest when the United Auburn Indian Community decided to build the first Northern California casino to offer true Las Vegas-style gaming, dining and entertainment. They chose the Las Vegas-based PENTA Building Group, listed as one of the top 100 general contractors in the nation.
   
PENTA, founded in 2000, has expertise in resort-style projects such as hotels, casinos, timeshare resorts and tribal gaming. The Las Vegas Chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America named it 2010 Contractor of the Year.
   
Its challenge was to take an expansion project where construction began before the tribe decided to downsize it to fit new economic realities.
   
So, the project, which broke ground in March 2009, was shut down for five months before being completed and reopened in July 2010.
   
While it was shut down, it was completely redesigned, from the finishes down to the major utility systems. Parts of the structure had been finished before the shutdown, and were made to fit in with the previous design.
   
Since the building was fairly well along when it was shut down, the design and construction team lost the time to design and coordinate the systems prior to construction.
    
The parking structure’s height had to be cut by two floors. PENTA decided the safest plan was to pour all the decks and cut the columns down after the last deck was in place in lieu of erecting scaffolding. During placement, a detailed plan was devised that included test-cutting a large section of the columns to ensure it could be done safety and consistently, extensively reviewing crane selection, placement, time frames and cost. Nevertheless, the entire project was completed on time and under budget.
   
The finished project included a 261,000-square-foot casino, 17-story hotel tower and seven-story parking structure. The nature-inspired approach helps bring the outside in, by blending a strong contemporary theme with nature. Organic shapes and materials, such as oak leaves (symbolizing money, luck and strength), acorns (for masculinity, luck and prosperity) and basket-like patterns, were strategically positioned throughout the 172,250 square feet of interiors. These images incorporate the terrain and native symbolism of the indigenous tribes of the Sacramento Delta.

Camel Rock Casino
Santa Fe, New Mexico

OWNER: Pueblo of Tesuque Tribe
DESIGN ARCHITECT: ICI Design Group, Minnesota, in conjunction with COST of Wisconsin
CASINO FLOOR: About 700 machines
INVESTMENT: $2 million

Make the facial seem palatial. That’s the approach ICI Design Group placed on its remodeling/facelift project for 18-year-old Camel Rock Casino, owned by the Pueblo of Tesuque Tribe in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The blueprint ICI gave the COST of Wisconsin group to build will produce a multi-dimensional upgrade for Camel Rock by August 30.
   
A budget of approximately $2 million will deliver a visually striking promenade, energized entertainment center, innovative non-smoking area and upgraded restaurant, along with several internal improvements. The upgrades should enable Camel Rock to recapture some lost business and find new revenue sources. Specific themes—an enhancement from the generic Southwest design throughout this area—should also provide the casino some spark.
   
Customers will notice dramatic change as soon as they step inside.
    
“The promenade will be the cultural and historical introduction to the property,” says Keith Nichols, director of architecture for the Minnesota-based ICI Design Group. “It will be about 4,000 square feet and have the tile logo of the Tesuque tribe, light fixtures, stylized graphics and historical wall murals.
   
“The tile is in a buff pattern. The floor tile in the promenade is non-symmetrical. It has various size tiles to mimic the layering of the rock formations.”
   
The entertainment center, right in the middle of the casino, obtains a fire-and-ice theme with the prevalent use of reds and blues, Nichols says. The highlight is a center bar sporting several satellite televisions. A dance floor and billiards room enhance this nightlife-friendly landmark.
   
Camel Rock unfurls a breakthrough mindset with its non-smoking area. It is daring, innovative and voluntary.
   
“The owners will institute a whole new mechanical system to take care of the air quality in part of the casino,” Nichols says. “They elected to put in a brand new 25-ton air handling unit to provide fresh air from the outside. It takes a lot of the smoke away from the casino area.
    
“It cost about $150,000 and came as a result of requests from customers. The non-smoking area (about 2,000 square feet) will have about 100 slot machines.”
   
The restaurant obtains a whole new look, as in buffet line, carpet, paint, tables, chairs and an entrance to the gaming floor.