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MGM Grand @ Foxwoods Casino & Resort
              Small Rotunda Ceiling
Casino Ballroom Hallway               Prefunction                                  Small Rotunda
 
Small Rotunda Features Ceilings      Tulip Column Ceilings         Slot Floor Ceilings
Small Rotunda Features               Tulip Column                                    Slot Floor

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and strong local competition has already made Foxwoods the largest casino in the world. The MGM Grand will add 2 million square feet including over 800 guest rooms and a 4000 seat theater. 

Central Ceilings’ share of the MGM Grand at Foxwoods includes the drywall assemblies and acoustical ceilings for 50,000 square feet of gaming space, a 21,000 square foot Spa with indoor pool, 3 whirlpools and saunas, Main entrances/Rotundas, Garage, main Pre-function areas, the Pequot Connector Bridge and the Premier Ballroom, which at 50,000 square feet, is the largest column-free ballroom in the Northeast.  The design of the project presented logistical, scheduling, engineering and build ability challenges that tested the talents of the entire project Team.

The majority of the methods used to build the drywall ceilings utilize on-site, pre-fabricated framing assemblies that include much of the profile’s attributes, allowing speed of installation as well as consistent quality and true lines.  The Main Casino and its adjacent space contain most of the project’s complex drywall design elements as well as custom, perforated, snap in metal pan ceiling provided by Gage Corporation and prefabricated, unfinished drywall Wavy Wall Panels provided by Island International.

The “Serpentine” soffit surrounds the Casino area and is, by far, the largest and most notable feature.  AutoCAD coordination drawings were shared so that the “Serpentine” soffit, with integrated compound-radius reflector coves and multiple light coves, could be plotted and then laid-out in the field to match the previously fabricated linear slot diffusers.  These AutoCAD drawings were also used to plot out the “Tails” and the “Mustache” soffits at the Serpentine’s terminations and the “Football” soffits atop eight “Tulip”-shaped GRG columns.

A 23’ radiused, soffited drywall ceiling at the Theater Box Office, has both an inner and outer light cove connected by a splaying drywall ceiling.  Pre-fabricated framing assemblies were installed radially from the center to create what was, prior to drywall installation, the “Bicycle Wheel”. Plotting the Theater entrance for field layout introduced some artistic license in the interpretation of the drawings. Partnering with HKS Architects offered flexibility and clarification to design intent and adjustments to construction tactics.

More than 25 pieces of varied lift equipment were used simultaneously by trades in the 6000 square foot, 45 foot high Large Rotunda/Main Lobby.  Multi-level, semi-elliptical, light cove ceiling “Fins” approach the center skylight from quarter-points on the circular exterior wall, permeating from detached, leaning, saw-toothed, stone piers.  Between the piers, curved engineered light gage walls and soffits support stone veneer, 1500 – 8000 pound light fixtures and pin-mounted glass tile. The Small Rotunda, while half the size of the Main Lobby, offered many of the same challenges and satisfying results.

The Premier Ballroom as compared with the remaining facility is simply scale; a 50,000 square foot space with 20 foot high drywall soffits and acoustical ceilings; structural trusses, catwalks and mechanical space above the ceilings up to the 50 foot deck were all accessible only from the floor below.  While the Premier Ballroom and Pre-function areas are mainly linear in design, the detailing and finishes envelop the space with fabric panels, custom millwork, stone veneers and faux paint schemes.

The Spa’s indoor pool, Co-ed Whirlpool and Cardio areas on the 3rd level, under the Tower Guest Rooms, offer panoramic forest views through curved glass curtain walls.  Armstrong’s Axiom, trims the light-coved pop-ups that encircle the pool area’s ceiling.  The Axiom extends down light-coved corridors, treatment rooms and the Men’s and Women’s Whirlpool spaces.  The first level under the Spa borders the Casino and Night Club and includes the Tower’s Elevator Lobby adorned with the most concentrated area of ceiling and wall light coves.

Much of the interior’s complexity being integrated with the mechanicals, experience and assembly methods were tapped at every level, achieving a bond between quality and the sense of urgency required to achieve the reality of this grand Architectural collaboration of form and function.