WBA’s New LEED AP!
Suzanne Ilten, a Senior Interior Designer at Walsh Bishop, just passed her LEED exam on the 15th of December! We are proud to have another LEED AP on the roster and continue to push for further accreditation firm-wide. Congratulations Suzanne!
In related news, the LEAP (Leaders in Environmental Awareness & Protection) Task Team is working diligently to keep sustainable solutions in the forefront of WBA’s operations and design. 2009 will bring us more educational presentations with an environmental focus, and we’re aiming for LEED Silver certification for our new building. Stay tuned for updates to these and more green initiatives at WBA!
Keith’s Expert Insight
Have you checked out the December issue of Indian Gaming Magazine yet? If so, you may see a familiar face. Keith O’Brien, VP of Walsh Bishop’s Entertainment & Hospitality Group, is featured in their Ask the Experts piece, addressing the 2009 Gaming Forecast. Follow this link to gain insight from industry leaders on this topic and find out how the economic downturn will affect the Indian gaming industry.
http://www.indiangaming.com/magazine/
Also- this issue includes an overview last month’s Global Gaming Expo! (So if you missed Hulk Hogan, you will have to settle on checking out his picture…)
Walsh Bishop takes top honors at G2E’s Casino Design Awards!
What a better way to kick off this year’s Global Gaming Expo than to be honored with 3 of this year’s Casino Design Awards, including 2008 Architectural Firm of the Year!
Walsh Bishop also took home Best Architectural Design for a Casino Resort Under $200M, for Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel, in Williamsburg, MI, and Best Lighting Design for a Casino Resort, for Black Bear Casino Resort, in Carlton, MN. The winning projects were announced at yesterday’s awards luncheon at G2E in Las Vegas.
Be sure to visit us in booth 511 and learn more about these award-winning projects!
Come see Walsh Bishop at G2E next week!
Walsh Bishop is thrilled again this year to exhibit at the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas! And it’s just one week away!
Be sure to visit us in booth 511 and check out some images of our award-winning projects. And did we mention that we can get you a free tradeshow pass? Please contact Alison at alison.regan@walshbishop.com and she’ll email it to you! It’s that easy.
The tradeshow is November 18-20 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, and it’s an exciting event. We’re looking forward to seeing you there!
Black Bear Casino on CBS this Friday!
A special program featuring Walsh Bishop’s recently completed Black Bear Casino, Hotel & Golf will air this Friday, August 8th, at 6:30 on KDLH CBS Channel 3. Check it out! We promise that this program will be just as entertaining as Seinfeld, which normally airs during this time slot!
SALO, LLC on 20/20!
Incase you missed it, last Friday, August 1st, the offices of SALO, Oberon and NumberWorks were featured on ABC News’ 20/20! Walsh Bishop has provided interior design services for SALO in 2 office spaces within 4 years. They were featured as part of their recent “treadmill desk” study in association with Dr. Jim Levine and the Mayo Clinic.
Check out this interesting and innovative workplace health initiative.
Turtle Creek Casino Grand Opening!
Walsh Bishop and the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians are proud to showcase Michigan’s newest hotel-casino facility, Turtle Creek Casino and Hotel!
The all new, 360,000-square-foot Turtle Creek Casino and Hotel in Williamsburg, Michigan, is bringing casino gaming in the Midwest to an entirely new level of sophistication, convenience, and comfort. And the unique facility’s striking modern design incorporates many environmentally responsible elements: LEED certified building materials, state-of-the-art under floor ventilation system, large skylights providing daylight to the gaming floor, energy efficient lighting, and areas of green roof. Turtle Creek is one of the first casinos designed to such a high environmental and aesthetic standard.
Turtle Creek’s Grand Opening was on June 24th, so make your reservations now. Get ready to relax in one of the hotel’s elegant suites before checking out an impressive variety of gaming options on the 52,000-square-foot gaming floor. Cruise by the cascading water wall, through the high stakes lounge, sample the distinct dining choices, enjoy the color changing lights from one of the many vistas overlooking the gaming floor, and finally enjoy some great live music in the night club before calling it a day. It will take more than one day to enjoy everything Turtle Creek Casino and Hotel has to offer.
Check out this past Sunday’s article on Turtle Creek Casino on Michigan’s mlive.com!
http://www.mlive.com/travel/index.ssf/2008/07/_the_turtle_risesall_new.html
Jake’s City Grille, Plymouth, MN
We’re pleased to have been awarded another Jake’s City Grille in Plymouth, MN. The Walsh Bishop team is all about developing long term and rewarding relationships with our clients! Since developing the prototype concept for Owner’s Rob and Tony Jacob, we’ve designed three other facilities for the brothers, each meeting outstanding success. The concept for the casual eatery blends the energy of a city café with the comfort of a neighborhood gathering spot. The prominent and open bar creates a welcoming first impression, with the open flames of the wood fired oven adding warmth and a buzz of activity as the chef’s prepare signature dishes. The concept features private dining areas, a patio seating 150 customers with a full bar for Minnesotans craving the summer sun. The Plymouth location will be one of their largest facilities, with over 8,900 SF, but they have no worries about filling up the joint. They currently operate the building as a Jake’s Sports Café – a concept they are phasing out over several years. It’s successful for them, but with an eye to the future and growing competition, they know that their City Grille concept will out perform, not only their current revenue, but their other locations have proven thatit consistently beats the national chains. People are hungry for something unique and different from the homogenized consistency of the franchised restaurant – and the brothers are poised to deliver. Jacob Restaurant Group owns and operates three Jake’s City Grille, two Jake’s Sports Cafés and Esquire Magazine’s 2006 Best Bar in America, Nye’s Polonaise.
Freedom of Expression
Walsh Bishop is excited to talk about our recent work for Crash + Sue’s, video post-production company, in downtown Minneapolis. They asked us to reinvestigate their environment, which is increasingly becoming a creative center not only for their own company, but also an audio studio, where independent artists, web developers, and other creatives share their space. Our design team focused on delivering a dynamic office environment that values self expression and collaboration. The project consisted of reorganizing the entry, social spaces, and corridor to unify the diverse personalities within the offices and studios. The social spaces, as part of the main circulation route, unify the space and create identity, while the adjacent and adjoining rooms remain independent spaces. The studio spaces are lowly lit along parallel corridors to optimize the creation and client review of the studio’s work. The main entrance, lobby, reception, CGI suite and lounge area revel in the control of light and color, creating dynamic experiences. Pixels, parallels, filters, frames and manipulation/control of light and shadow are central to the design. All of the design elements respond to the client’s identity while providing a flexible creative office environment that can be responsive to the various voices within.
New Black Bear Gaming Floor Open!
This Memorial Day weekend, many Minnesotans headed to Black Bear Casino to check out the new gaming facility. Doors just opened this past Thursday, May 22, 2008!
The new gaming floor is over 81,000 square feet and holds 2,000 slot machines. Guests can choose from three eateries in the new space: the chic Seven Fires Steakhouse, the casual Buffet at the Bear, or the cozy Sage Deli. And what better way to end your night than by hitting the dance floor at the new Cobalt Nightclub and Cabaret, featuring live entertainment and free admission!
Walsh Bishop proudly worked with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa to transform Black Bear into one of the top resort destinations in Minnesota. And that transformation is nearly complete! The 250-room, 12-story hotel tower opened in February, and the convention center will be open soon. Watch for Black Bear’s Grand Opening later this summer!
