When the Denver-based WorthGroup was selected by the Mescalero Apache Tribal Council to provide architectural and design services on its new Inn of the Mountain Gods resort and casino, the tribe requested that the new complex blend into the stunning landscape of the Sierra Blanca Mountains in central New Mexico.
Both WorthGroup and Centrex Construction Group of Dallas, TX, the project’s general contractor, had worked with other Indian tribes and understood the importance of designs and themes that reflect the themes of the tribe, its culture and the mountain location. They were also well familiar with the type of project they’d be building. WorthGroup, with more than 20 years’ experience, had designed and managed gaming and entertainment projects in 11 states and Canada, and Centrex had completed more than 60 hospitality facilities valued in excess of $2 billion.
It was in an effort to give the tribe the best building it could that Englert Inc. standing seam metal roofing was chosen to cover the hotel. Nearly 160,000 sq. ft. of panels were rollformed at the jobsite and installed by Colony Metals of Commerce City, CO.
“We wanted the roof to be as maintenance free as possible, knowing the tribe did not have a large staff of facilities people needed to maintain other roof formats,” said a WorthGroup spokesman. “The metal roof and its green color helped meet another tribal requirement that we keep a low profile for the exterior elevations of the project. The building is only three stories high but we were able to gain eight stories by pushing the envelope of the building down the hillside and out to the lake. The curved green vaults of the metal roof and the simulated stone then blended the entire structure into the natural landscape.”
The Englert profile chosen for the massive project was Series 1300. The Hemlock Green panels were formed from 24-gauge Galvalume-coated steel.
The casino features 250 oversized standard and deluxe guest rooms, 26 suites, 50,000 sq. ft. of gaming space, 36,000 sq. ft. of convention space and 25,000 sq. ft. of spa facilities. It also has four restaurants and an indoor-outdoor pool.
“We had the ideal setting for a resort for more than 25 years,” said Mescalero President Sara Misquez. “With the construction of the new facility, we continue to have one of the true destination resorts in New Mexico and the Southwest.”