Festival Buffet at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Conn., temporarily closed its door in November 2018 for a complete renovation and rebranding. The menu, interior space and even the name were revamped to enhance the dining experience. To create a flowing space that would direct customers through what is now called Rainmaker Buffet, JCJ Architecture filled the interior with curves. The soffit curves were created with Flex-C Arch and Flex-C Trac by Flex-Ability Concepts.

"The curves express a modern, streamlined and straightforward approach to the buffet line," said Christie Pezzetta, senior associate/senior project designer at JCJ Architecture. "The layout provides the versatility to change and update the menu and food layout for holidays or special events. The curves maximize counter space and add movement and geometry to enable spotlighting of the made-to-order action stations."

While the architect dictated the use of curves, the selection of the Flex-Ability Concepts products was made by the installer, Interior Building Contractors (IBC), Cheshire, Conn. The irony is the company had never heard of Flex-Ability Concepts—until Dave Albanese, a product representative, visited IBC.

“Dave was visiting us, and we started talking about Festival Buffet and the curves that we needed to create,” said Bernie Ferland, project manager/estimator with IBC. “We had not used any products from Flex-Ability Concepts before, but it seemed straightforward. We brought Flex-C Trac and Flex-C Arch to the table with the general contractor because of the Hammer-Lock system. We saw cost savings knowing the install would be faster than other curve methods.”

The IBC crew installed 50 pieces of 3 5/8” Flex-C Trac and 130 pieces of 3 5/8” Flex-C Arch. The systems are installed in the ceiling soffits. Flex-C Trac is used to create curved walls, ceilings, arches, S curves and interior domes, and Flex-C Arch is used to frame arches, soffits and light coves. Installation for both products is simple. The desired arch/curve is drawn on a hard or concrete surface, and the Flex-C Trac or Flex-C Arch is laid on the drawn line.  Both products should be curved by hand to match the curve/arch. With the Flex-C Arch or Flex-C Trac sitting on the concrete, the Hammer-Lock tabs are hammered into place to embed them, thereby locking the shape.

Ferland’s assumption about costs savings was correct—he says the install was efficient and faster than other methods he has used. Scott Bowman, project manager with general contractor A. Autiello Construction Co. Inc., Cranston, R.I. added, “From our perspective, the Flex-C Trac system was the only way to achieve the complex layering and curvature of the architect’s soffit design and allowed us to match the serving line below."

The IBC crew found the system easy to use and is ready to use it again on other projects. This mentality is why the firm, founded in 2011, is well-known in southern New England and the commercial drywall industry. IBC uses the latest technology and resources to meet customer demand without sacrificing time, safety and quality.

“What makes us unique is our structured approach to project delivery,” said Patrick Ferland, vice president of estimating and procurement for IBC. “As a team, in the office and field, we work together cohesively and strive for precision and excellence versus perfection. But our main goal always is customer service and satisfaction. We achieve this by constantly being on the cutting edge with new technology, tools, equipment and materials. In the case of the Foxwoods Festival Buffet project, IBC examined the project needs and deemed it beneficial both in time and cost to use the Flex-C Trac and Flex-C Arch. It ensured that the project maintained high standards of quality while completing the project on time and on budget.”

Rainmaker Buffet opened in May 2019 and offers a casual dining experience at the resort casino with seating for 500 people. They say eating there makes customers feel like they've hit the jackpot. The design and construction team thinks this might have something to do with the inviting design that allows 70,000 people a month to flow through the curved spaces.