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1. Name:
Boardwalk Holiday Inn
2. Owner: MGM
Mirage .
3. Address: 3750
S. Las Vegas Blvd.
3b. Additional Site
Details: The Boardwalk Holiday
Inn is one of the most distinctive front faces which incorporate
an extreme amount of signage condensed into a replica version of
an eastern sea board. Since it is designed to be reminiscent of
a boardwalk, the pedestrian element is a wooden planked walkway
lined with shops and establishments. The area is separated from
the traffic by landscaping and concrete elements. All the shop fronts
designs, some false and others functioning, are all linked into
the casino. The structure is encrusted with raceways and incandescent
bulbs, as well as a ridiculous amount of internally lit signage
that advertising everything from hotel promotions, to prices of
drinks. Headed from the south, headed north, the parking garage
can be seen, set back from the street slightly west, adorned with
signage on it's face. The casino begins at full throttle aesthetically,
with raceways lining almost every edge, contrasting tones of paint,
murals, advertisements, neon and incandescence all come together.
Above the first main entrance of the property, is a vibrantly lit,
gold clad entrance canopy. Above that a non-functioning skeletal
mass of a roller coaster comprises the majority of the southern
end of the property. Neon letttre3s are located on the vertical
plane created by the rise of the tracks. The carnival style treatments
of raceways and propaganda run north until the path is interrupted
by the vertical pylon sign which is integrated into the architecture
of the Boardwalks facade. The tracks continue above the property,
all along the length interrupted by the main pylon and addressed
with replica's of Ferris wheels with actual mannequins, dressed
and riding inside of them. Just pas the main pylon the façade
is transformed into a giant three dimensional clowns head smiling
joyfully. The façade continues a short distance past the
clown's head, and rounds off just as it began.
4. Condition:
Structure 4
Surface 4
Lighting 4
Notes: See
description
5. Form: plyon,
fasica
6. Specfic Description:
Upon the eastern face of the parking
garage signage is created upon the top edge of the outside wall.
The top edge of the wall is fashioned into a sculpted entablature
of signage, complete with rising crests and swooping scrolls, which
match the fashion of decoration for the façade as well. On
each side of the surface possess a pair of internally lit signage.
One is square, and the next is rectangular, brandished with black
text. The center portion of the sign is closed in with a pair of
half columns which rise out of the surface of the entablature to
flank the main text. These half columns are laced with an outline
of an orange and yellow neon tubing. The Text is spelled in two
different lines of channel letters lined with red neon on the interiors.
The First line reads "Boardwalk Casino" the second line
reads "Free Parking." The two lines span the length of
the space provided and are separated by a sculpted dividing line.
The tower just to the north of the parking garage is suited with
channel letters that spell "Boardwalk' and are filled with
red neon.
Roller coaster:
The sign which resides over the first entrance is similar that of
the paring garage, for it is placed in a raceway bordered fascia.
The large channel letters are placed in the center and spell "
Casino." The first and last letter are the smallest in size,
and gradually climb up toward the middle. They are filled with incandescent
bulbs and outlined with a border of red neon.
Pylon: The rest of the façade is necessary for the theme
to really work, but the tallest and brightest piece is the main
pylon sign. The pylon sign is essentially a triangular shape which
rises straight up into the air. If a unilateral triangle, then one
point is facing east with the two sides meeting at this eastern
most point, being designated for the main signage. Three visible
posts support the sign, glowing with the reflectivity of the gold
polished underside which is striped with rows of incandescent bulbs,
running perpendicular to the entrance. Three bands of pink neon
wrap the two visible sides, just above the pedestrians head. Just
above that there is a narrow LED message center which scrolls text,
which also wraps the two sides. The majority of the sign occupies
the space between this small border and the main marquee. This rectangular
portion each one of the pylons sides can be broken down into four
horizontal sections. The bottom two comprise the bottom 1/3 of the
sign, and are internally lit advertisements ninety-nine cent offers
and the Surf buffet. The middle section, being the tallest, contains
a large LED message center, flanked on both sides by multi colored
neon tubes crafted into the shapes of stars. The stars vary in size
and spread up the small wings of the reader board with surprising
fluidity. Compared to the rest of this section, the top remainder
is rather plain. A plain surface is accented with a pair of words
spelled in channel letters. The word hotel is spelled on the left
and filled red neon. They are separated by a small, circular, channel
filled with green neon. The word on the right is spelled in the
same lettering except it is filled with green neon. The space above
that is occupied by the main logo for the establishment. A black
field supports large white channel letters that are filled with
white neon. Then black field is closed in on all sides by scrollwork
shapes created out of incandescence and neon. The white and yellow
luminescence, takes the form of a double arched section resembling
an "E" or a sideways "M" or "W." The
top sweeps upward creating an arched top. A top the main array of
signage there are three smoke stacks arranged in a triangular formation,
with one at the very front of the edge of the signand two flanking
them in the distance. When looking at the sign directly at the face,
it appears as if there are a pair for either side. Spanning the
distance between the two smoke stacks is an LED reader board lined
on both the top and bottom edge with blue neon. An arch of raceways
lined with incandescent bulbs loops over the reader board.
A large pylon is designated for the Surf Buffet as well. On the
northern end of the property a tall pylon sign faces north/south,
and stands lined with red neon. The vertical post supports three
internally lit cabinets. The post itself, if viewed directly from
the top, would be in an "X" or cross formation. Vertical
bars of red neon run up the length of the pole, creating a striping
effect. The three cabinets are arranged sitting one on top the other,
with a small space in between each. The group all differ in size
to an extent, with the two lower cabinets being similar sized, horizontal
rectangles, and the top cabinet being the largest. They all have
raceways lining the exterior faces with chasing incandescent bulbs.
The faces are brightly illuminated colored plastic, with the main
cabinet being an advertisement for the Surf Buffet. The others advertise
for similar amenities.
7. Type of Display:
neon, incandescent, backlit
8. Media: steel,
plastic, fiberglass
9. Non-neon treatments:
graphics, paint
10. Animation:
chasing, flashing, oscillating
Notes: see
description
11. Environment:
The environment created by
the Boardwalk is an effective use of the theme on the pedestrian
to create the environment. The Boardwalk is located next to a CVS
Pharmacy to the south, which was erected during the course of the
survey. When the pedestrian walks upon the Boardwalk, it is busy
and noisy, and very attraction getting. When passing into the front
side of the property, a pedestrian is assaulted with sounds and
noises that are difficult not to pay attention to. This feeling
created by the conglomerate of signage and utter blazing advertisement,
is almost like a rollerocaster. Person comes out the other side
noticeably aware of the silence and darkness contrasted to the presence
of the property. |
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