Casino & Gaming Facility
Location
Battle Creek, MI
Structural Engineer
Richard Weingardt Consultants, Inc.
Architect
Perez, APC
Steel Joist Manufacturer
Vulcraft
Steel Fabricator
Douglas Steel Fabricating Corporation
This project is a very large new casino and gaming facility located near Battle Creek, Michigan. The building is comprised of two main components; the main casino building which is approximately 180,000 square feet, and the administrative and support portion, which adds another 60,000 square feet.
One of the primary project goals for both the design and construction team was providing a large user-flexible space that is both attractive and economical. To provide this, the architect and engineer designed an economical rectilinear building layout that encompasses unique roof elements and interior volumes. Roof clerestory elements use special curved joists that provide a unique exterior appearance and interior space while remaining within the economical constraints of the development. Structural steel was selected as the best system for overall benefits of cost, availability, construction speed and user flexibility. The building structure uses a long span bay configuration of 64 feet in each primary direction. Using joists with custom loading conditions allowed these large column free spans to be constructed quickly and efficiently.