Metal Coatings Take Sin City

Jeff Alexander, VP of Sales, coil and extrusion division
Valspar Corporation

Sparkling lights flash 24 hours a day, coaxing gamblers in for a night-cap and maybe even one more round of craps on their way back to the hotel. The metropolis shines just as bright in the late hours of the night as it does under the unforgiving Nevada sun. Visualizing the legendary Las Vegas Strip is not a difficult task, even for those who have never visited.

There are endless possibilities in Vegas for tourists and locals alike. The stand-alone city in the ruthless Mojave Desert is certainly special to behold and an experience most won’t forget – even if they never disclose their wild adventures.

As the saying goes, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” While that may be the case for some risqué bachelor and bachelorette parties, the exuberant architecture and design of the city has made a name for itself worldwide, and isn’t easily forgotten. Metal exterior architectural coatings are no stranger to Las Vegas architecture, and the bright and glimmering coatings fit like a glove on the Strip lined with unconventional structures.

T-Mobile Arena is clad with a combination of custom-fabricated shingles, finished with Valspar paint as an homage to the topography and colors of the desert, and insulated metal wall panels from CENTRIA. To see more on this project, click here.

Wild West Meets the Technological Age

Opening its doors in 2016, the T-Mobile Arena is the largest arena ever built in Las Vegas. The design objective from the start was to bring the opposing aspects of Las Vegas, the Strip and the desert, together into one project. This goal dictated the construction plan and the building materials chosen.

The architects designed a sprawling glass façade on the arena’s northeast side. Nine-thousand square-feet of LED video mesh overlay interlaces with the exterior balconies and culminates in a symbolic representation of the city’s energy and zest. The whole wall system is backed by CENTRIA’s MetalWrap^TM Long Span Series insulated composite backup panels, which are visible on the interior. In contrast with the structure’s modern elements, bowed bands spring forth from the north and west faces of the arena, honoring the topography and rich geological aesthetic of the surrounding mountainous environment.

The bands are made of more than 100,000 square-feet of custom-fabricated shingles gilded with rustic colors of Valspar’s vibrant Fluropon® exterior architectural coating. The dichotomy of the design elements would not have been possible without the fierce color matching process used to create the building’s iconic contrast between city life and nature. Out of three Fluropon shades – Flaxen Gold, Titan Gold, and Chestnut – a total of nine coating colors were customized for the project.

The completed T-Mobile Arena officially opened its doors on April 6, 2016 and ushered in a new wave of entertainment to Las Vegas with a sold-out show featuring The Killers, Wayne Newton and Shamir. With the help of the exterior architectural coatings and metal materials, the venue’s exterior exudes the same flair and natural grace as the lively city and desert.

Glitz & Glamour          

As part of the Caesars Entertainment Corporation, The LINQ hotel, casino and retail development owners knew they needed something out of the ordinary to draw guests into the 300,000 square-foot multi-use complex. With a goal of matching the frenetic energy of the strip and creating an inviting atmosphere, the project designers settled on a complex vortex-shaped canopy and rooftop deck. The structure appears liquid, dynamic and ever-changing due to the varying reflections produced by the included LED lights.

	ALPOLIC Material wall panels, protected by Valspar's Vaflon coating, help The LINQ hotel, casino and retail development make a bold architectural statement.

60,000 square-feet of Engineered Wall System Inc.’s 400 series rainscreen system with ALPOLIC Material metal wall panels can be seen on the exterior. The metal materials are coated in Valspar‘s Valflon® coating in shades of Platinum Mica, Champagne Mica and Silver. While the shine and sparkle of the exterior architectural coatings help make a bold statement on the Strip, they also provide The LINQ with high resistance to weathering, airborne chemicals, acid rain and graffiti-removing cleaning solvents.

The LINQ is easily spotted by a 30-foot cigar-shaped column that matches other support structures throughout the building. The facility is also home to the world’s tallest observation wheel, the High Roller, which offers stunning scenic views of the surrounding area.

As a celebration of the city’s liveliness, The LINQ’s canopy rooftop deck has been used to host fashion shows and concerts. The hotel is recognized as a social hub for trend-setters and partiers alike. The structure fits perfectly on the Strip, not straying from the Vegas reputation of magnificence and excitement. Thanks to the durability of metal materials and resistant pearlescent coatings, the structure will continue to showcase the glamour for which Las Vegas is known.

Valspar's Fluropon and Fluropon Classic II exterior architectural coatings protect the several styles of CENTRIA wall panels utilized on the exterior of the Hard Rock Casino. To see more on this project, click here.

Rock & Roll the Dice

Hard Rock is the company responsible for the iconic brand emphasizing fun atmospheres across hotels, restaurants and venues - all of which support live music events and offer fast-casual dining. In continuing along this path and tapping into a new demographic, the company decided to venture into the world of gaming and nightlife.

The design teams involved with the project worked together to seamlessly transition Hard Rock’s current brand aesthetic into a never-before-built casino under the Hard Rock name. The 155,000 square-foot facility was built adjacent to Northfield Park’s grandstand to expand upon the area’s current entertainment opportunities. Features of the first-ever “Rocksino” include a gaming floor filled with 2,300 slot machines, a 2,000-seat music hall, and dining options that include a buffet, steakhouse and bistro.

Vivid lighting and bold colors are seen on both the interior and exterior of the building. A duo of Valspar’s Fluropon® and Fluropon® Classic II exterior architectural coatings are showcased on the building’s sleek metal façade, which is composed of several different CENTRIA metal wall panel systems. The two Valspar exterior architectural coatings, finished in complementing colors of Surrey Beige, Copper and Rust, were chosen for their shine and sparkle based finishes. Their metallescent appearance furthered the depth and dimension desired.

Completed in 2012, the Hard Rock Rocksino continues to thrive. Able to boast that the birthplace of rock n’ roll is right in their backyard, the Rocksino welcomes everyone into a space filled with energy and enthusiasm – supported by the brilliant colors on the dynamic exterior.

In the city of luxury and extravagance, lush metal exterior architectural coatings feel right at home in Las Vegas. Exterior architectural coatings have a wide range of offerings from ritzy shimmer formulations to gritty neutral shades, reflecting the various personalities of the city. When it comes to iconic architectural projects, Las Vegas is a frontrunner.

Visitors may want their Vegas adventures to remain a best-kept secret, but contributors to the phenomenal skyline and unique structures want the whole world to be familiar with the city’s splendor and unlimited possibilities for sightseeing, cuisine, gambling - and maybe even a little trouble.   

About Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings

Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings delivers a full range of high-performance coatings in polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), silicone-modified polyester (SMP) and polyester formulas, designed to meet the most demanding environmental requirements while providing protection against weathering and pollution. The Coil Coatings Division is part of the Sherwin-Williams Performance Coatings Group, which supplies a broad range of highly-engineered solutions for construction, industrial, packaging and transportation markets in more than 110 countries in the world. Founded in 1866, The Sherwin-Williams Company is a global leader in the manufacture, development, distribution and sale of paints, coatings and related products to professional, industrial, commercial and retail customers. For more information about Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings, visit  coil.sherwin.com.