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1. Name: Riveria Hotel and Casino
2. Owner: Riveria
Holdings Corporation
3. Address: 2901
S. Las Vegas Blvd.
3b. Additional Site
Details: The Riviera is another
of the properties on the Strip which brought its borders to the
street. It is one of the properties with an extensive collection
of signs on its properties. The glass wall and block long façade,
which incorporates infinity lighting and neon displays. A highly
animated an reflective ceiling of the westernmost pedestrian element
right along Las Vegas Boulevard also plays host to a continuously
pulsing entablature of text and neon. The outer portion of the wall
facing west is also adorned with raceways, backlit signs, neon stars,
and a host of other signs as well. The northwest corner is a unique
collection of fascia wall design and sculptural elements on the
corner as well for the "Nickeltown" portion of the casino.
Along the east end of the property, more Riviera logo/wall signs
denote entrances, while the eastern most edge plays host to the
massive Riviera Pylon. Various signs also reside on the eastern
side of the property. Text signs are located in several positions
among various structures. There is also a rather busily illuminated
awning, which is lined with incandescent bulbs and text.
4. Condition:
Structure 5 Surface 4 Lighting 5
Notes: See
description
5. Form: plyon,
fasica, porte cochere
6. Specfic Description: The main attraction to the Riviera
is its mirrored round wall which serves as a multiuse billboard
built around the neon advertisements for the Riviera's big show:
Splash
Front Façade: The front façade of the Riviera is best
described by starting with the giant glass well and heading north.
The radius of the giant reflective extravaganza is in the general
direction of the southwest so reflectivity is extremely good during
the afternoon hours. The surface of the structurally integrated
visions is surfaced with giant reflective mirrored panel which give
way to the multicolored neon puzzle work of the Splash logo. The
logo advertises for the show using iconography from the show itself
represented with pan channel figures lined on the interiors with
neon of corresponding colors for which they are painted. The text
that spells "Splash" is painted red, with the circular
raceway that sits in its background is painted yellow. The "Splash"
text sits above the organic shapes of water shooting out from underneath
the array of signage, painted blue and purple. The image of the
female inside the logo text is graphically treated with the proper
registration of illustrative quality. She is also lined with neon
in the proper colors over the major outlines of her form. The entire
array sits on a black background laden with incandescent bulbs.
The neon is arranged so that as it progresses toward the ground
the organic shapes radiate in a repeating pattern outward. The blue
and purple neon radiate toward the ground while the red neon in
the "Splash" radiates left toward the other side of the
wall. Green channels spurt out of the top lined with green neon
as well. On opposite sides of the radius wall, there are a series
of signage that mirror each other. "Riviera" is written
in channel letters filled with neon, and a series of internally
lit, color cabinets, lined on the edges with incandescent bulbs.
The middle portion of the wall is occupied with various sized stars,
raceways, and incandescent bulbs found on extensions and diamond
shaped faces. The stars are lined on the interior profile of the
shape with blue and pink neon, as well as incandescent bulbs on
the interior as well. The bottom of the radius wall is adorned with
adorned with internally lit cabinets as well as various small neon
creations. Moving north along the face of the building the façade
the external elements are greatly supportive of the mirrored walls,
and just as brilliant in their own right. The façade begins
just to the south of the giant mirrored wall, with a section lined
with vertical bars of neon animating in red, pink, purple, and blue
neon. Riviera is written in cahnnel letters and filled with incandescent
bulbs. The letters are outlined in red neon. On either side of the
rectangular section, two small versions of the giant mirrored wall
support green and blue wavy channels, lined on the interior edges
with corresponding neon colors. Incandescent bulbs are present as
well. The façade on the north side smoothly transitions into
a wall of transparent plastic cubes, lit from the inside, with raceways
running down the edges. This façade runs the entire length
of the building, until the end is reached at the northwest corner
and Nickeltown. Along the facade, internally lit cabinets surrounded
by raceways occupy the vicinity of the lower portion of the sign.
The faces are colored plastic and treated with graphics and text.
Toward the end of the facade, a collection of small signs is fused
together to create a single collection of busy signs. The entire
structure is a chaotic vision of relief sculpture smashing into
text and iconography, while bright, vibrant colors and neon, fight
for attention. The majority of the sign is located on the body of
the building, reaches down to touch the ground. Four fluted columns
rise up from the ground to meet the bottom base of the massive wall
sign. The columns rise up into a sculpted cabinet that is heavily
crafted and adorned with ornate edges of hard-coated foam or fiberglass
scrollwork. The swelling and swirling scrolls swell out in three
dimensions. The entire border of the bottom section is turned into
a detailed, organically shaped, cloud like shape. The scrollwork
as well as the columns is finished white, with the recesses being
toned a golden color. The effect accentuates the three dimensional
nature of the design. The surface of this bottom portion is a diagonally
crisscrossing pattern of white lattice- work on top of a golden
surface. The center of the open surface is occupied by a giant pan
channel, of the top three points at a purple, five-pointed star.
Flanking either side of the star are small, steel, closed face cabinets,
in the shape of squatty looking five pointed stars. They are varying
sizes and are painted the three separate colors of purple, yellow,
and green. The top point of the largest purple star rises through
the top part of the bottom cloud section touching up into the massive
collection of signs.
This particular sign centers on a top logo reading "Riviera
Slot Adventure" in channel letters in the style of action adventure
movies such as "Indiana Jones." The first word is written
in the logo style of the Riviera, and painted yellow on the interiors.
The letters for the two words, "Slot Adventure" are bent
with the force of motion and painted red, grading into an orange.
Behind that, a circular cabinet, representing a globe, is painted
blue in the center and fading to white. Flanking either side of
the globe, associated more with the top portion of the globe, pairs
of arching bronze colored cabinets slightly arch outward suggesting
shining or an explosion. They are laden with incandescent bulbs.
The remainder of the sign between the bottom star structure and
the top slot adventure text, is occupied by a varied array of signage
that can be designated between two halves of the collection. The
left-hand side of the sign consists of three-dimensional sculptural
elements, channel letters, relief elements. The far left side of
the collection is rounded out by the three dimensional relief of
crashing waves, creating a background for the three-dimensional
structure of the mermaid. Red channel letters spell "Splash"
above the mermaid, in white channel letters painted red on the inside.
Neon lines the interior of the letters as well. Below the mermaid,
more channel letters spell "Gardens" in red channel letters
painted yellow on the interiors and lined on the interiors with
neon. Above the crest of the wave a relief of a train shoots toward
the north with a yellow and red circular cabinet above that with
the text for jackpot junction. The train relief is also the designed
with perspective to appear as if it is moving forward.
Directly to the left of the train is set of yellow channel letters
painted blue on the interior reading "Jackpot Factory,"
lined on the interior with neon. A purple backing cabinet is graphically
painted on the face with images of gears. Just to the left of the
text is the three dimensional sculpture representing a stack of
coins. The space below the "Jackpot Factory" a purple
cabinet with a colored face reads with graphics and text for "Valley
of Games." Directly to the left of the "Valley of the
Games" cabinet a three dimensional cherub is holding a large
nickel, with a banner above that. The cherub is painted with the
proper flesh tones, and the nickel is adorned with the proper details.
The wings animate, utilizing two tubes of neon shaped as wings and
in different positions to appear as flapping. A white arched steel
banner, with blue text, reading "Nickel Heaven." Neon
floats over the top of the letters. The right hand side of the entire
collection is just as detailed and elaborate, if not ore than the
left hand side. A white steel cabinet cut into the profile of the
text, which is painted yellow with red outlines. The text reads
'Slot Frenzy' in two lanes. The red borders are lined with incandescent
bulbs. The remaining negative space in the center of the sign is
a painted slot handle with a circle of neon around the top of the
handle. To the right of that, the surface of the board is created
out of relief of faux rocks above what is a set of railroad tracks.
A mine cart is on the tracks with giant diamond shaped gems residing
in the interior space. A cabinet made of an arched banner and a
square cabinet resides above the mine cart. The banner reads Double
diamond in blue text, and "mines is spelled" in blue text
on the rectangle. Further right the rocks give way to a portion
of the cabinet, that reads "Jackpot City" in yellow channel
letters, with yellow neon. Vertical raceways lined with incandescent
bulbs shoot upward in the area of the text. All are supported on
a multicolored flat cabinet, predominantly painted red.
Nickel town: On the Northwest corner of the property three distinct
images comprise the signage. The main marquee for Nickeltown over
the entrance, a Riviera logo just to the right of that, and a large
sculptural fountain, that dominates the corner with it's presence.
Over the brass and glass doors for the entrance, a polished metal
overhang radiuses above the door, and contains the words Nickel
Town in channel letters. The two words are written horizontally
in a line, and separated in the middle with a pan cjhannel star
also lined with neon on it's interior. The star is centered with
a channel number "5" which is filled with white neon.
The star's neon colors are pink and blue, and are arranged as interior
lining of the star. The underside of the awning, as the rest of
the front facade, is adorned with the incandescent bulbs, placed
neatly in the designated prismatic shapes. The neon rings also are
present, running the pediment across the façade. Elements
of the electric wall can be seen as well, with the metal diamonds
supporting incandescent bulbs trailing upward from the awning up
to the façade of the building behind it. Several different
sizes of star rise up as well, they are identical in color and design
shape. Since the interiors do not contain a channel letter, they
contain a channel shaped star, lined with incandescent bulbs in
the center. A different sort of star shape is present as well. This
shape is an eight-sided shape, reminiscent of a snowflake. When
I say snowflake, it is essentially a cross shaped piece crossed,
with an "X" shape. The shape is designed out of a pan
channel, filled with incandescent bulbs. White neon backs the channel.
Directly to the right of the entrance, the mirrored façade
reflects the entrance, as the reflective surface house vertical,
neon bars as well. The three different colors are Blue, gold and
green. Consuming the majority of the concrete expanse created by
the small plaza, is the neon-laden fountain of light and steel,
with a base of ceramic pool. The design is a circular pool, covered
in 1"x1" ceramic tiles, and filled with water. Thee square
poles are bent over, looking as if they are spraying up out of the
fountain. They appear almost as if a bouquet. One is painted Blue,
one gold, and the other red. These poles are striped with neon tubing
of the corresponding colors. Internally lit cubes, of the same color
scheme as the primary palette. Wrapping around the circumference
of the top half of the plumage, is a silver pediment that radiuses
around the fountain. The finish is polished metal, and matches the
overhang presented in the Nickel Town signage. Raceways run along
the top and bottom edges of the face, wile the internally lit advertisements
occupying the open space of the pediment every so often.
Riviera Convention Center: Directly to the east of Nickeltown, is
the Riviera Convention center. Signage for the building is first
evident when traveling west, looking at the east face of the building.
Not far on the north side of the east face of the building, large
channel letters hang denoting the building. The Riviera logo text
is spelled in the signature text, outlined with red neon and filled
with incandescent bulbs. Below that, a two lined text reads convention
center in red channel letters, lined on the interior with red neon.
On the south side of the building, two lines of text reads, "Royale
Pavilion" and "Entrance" below that. These channel
letters are red, and lined with red neon on the interiors.
Tower: Along the north side of the main tower, "Riviera"
is spelled with giant red channel letters, filled with incandescent
bulbs, and lined with red neon. The rear entrance is shared for
the hotel, and the convention center, and is denoted with signage,
and an overhang. A large blockish overhang is cantilevered off of
the side of the building and projects outward, toward the east.
On the front edge, an arcade of arches is evident, which reveal
five tube-like vaults that project the half radius all the way back
to the building. All of the edges of the raceway, including the
spaces on the underside, which separates the vaults, are lined with
incandescent bulb lined raceways. The Riviera text spells "Riviera"
across the front of the cantilevered structure. The channel letters
are painted red, lined with red neon and filled with incandescent
bulbs. Left of the cantilevered structure are letters, which spell
convention center. They are channel letters with red plastic faces.
7. Type of Display: neon, incandescent, backlit, LED
8. Media: steel,
plastic, glass, fiberglass
9. Non-neon treatments: graphics, paint
10. Animation: chasing, flashing, oscillating
Notes: The
text fascia sign just to the north of the giant glass display illuminates
with a background of neon tubing which chases from right to left.
The pattern of colors running across are a sequence banks of red,
pink purple and blue vertical neon tubing, chase each other creating
a pulsating movement of the individual banks of these colors. While
they are animating, the channel letters, which spell "Riviera,"
are dark and proceed to light up one letter at a time. Once all
lit they remain lit, until the background stops with all the bars
illuminated. Once all the bars are lit, the interiors of the letters
turn off one at a time starting on the far right. The giant mirrored
section of the building, advertising for the Splash stage show.
The sequence can be best described from its dramatic powering up.
The entire sign comes alive with a rapid upward chasing pattern
covering the surface of the tower. Once alive, small white bulbs
grow out of the end of the space on the top and bottom of the end
of the "Splash" text. Once all the previous elements are
illuminated, the letters in the Splash logo shut off, illuminate
one letter at a time in red neon, then the white neon figure of
the seal balancing a ball on the end of it's nose, lights up. The
neon bordered circular raceway, then animates with the bulbs in
the center chasing each other in a clock-wise sequence. Once lit
the vast array of white bulbs grown out of the end of the text begin
to gently oscillate, as well as the sparse assortment of floating
and attached incandescent bulbs on the wall of the tower. Once the
bulbs animate for a few seconds, the entire wall chases downward,
becoming black as night, except for the Slash logo text. Underneath
the entire front side of the western face of the Riviera, the incandescent
bulbs which cover the entire surface oscillate in a wildly, while
the ringed entablature on the wall animates quietly in comparison.
The multi-colored rings of neon tubing chase each other from left
to right, chasing the distance then repeating. The sequence then
changes direction and chase from left to right. Creating the tops
and bottoms of the entablature are raceways lined with incandescent
bulbs that chase each other from left to right. On the surface of
the west wall incandescent bulbs chase each other along the raceways
which run horizontally around the internally lit cabinets. The small
vertical raceways which run inside the clear plastic boxes chase
each other from top to bottom, but all the raceways are offset to
each other by a few seconds. At the North end of the property the
signage for the Riviera's, "Nickeltown" gambling attraction,
dominates the corner. He animation on the large exploding sculptural
fountain lights up the entire corner. The three rocketing pieces
of steel are wrapped in repeating bands of their corresponding colors
of blue, purple and yellow. All three simultaneously chase from
bottom to top, until completely lit. Then they begin to animate
in a chasing pattern from bottom to top. After a few moments of
chasing, they chase from beginnig to top once more, leaving al the
tubes dark in its path. Along the circular entablature, which runs
the circumference of the top mass of the fountain, incandescent
bulbs chase each other from right to left, but only on the side
which faces the casino. The wall, which faces north, contains the
multicolored banks of vertical neon bars that animate in a specific
pattern. They chase each other from right to left, then only the
purple neon tubing illuminates, they chase again, then only the
blue neon tubing illuminates. They chase once again, and then only
the gold bars illuminate. The bars chase yet one more time, then
all of the tubing illuminates, thus ending the sequence. The main
entrance to nickel town is adorned with neon text and images, but
only the stars higher up on the wall itself animate. The incandescent
bulbs elevated above the surface of the mirrored wall, animate in
a soft oscillating pattern, adding the twinkling effect. The larger
five pointed stars are animated on the interior by a center of oscillating
incandescent bulbs, while concentric neon shapes echo outward in
the yellow, purple and blue colors seen on the adjacent wall facing
north. The smaller snow-flake esque star shapes are alive with oscillating
incandescent bulbs. Looking upward along the north face of the closest
tower, the giant vertical, Riviera channel letters animate one character
at a time, oscillate then shuts off.
11. Environment: {environment} |
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