McNichols’ Stainless Steel Used in River Spirit Casino’s Tower

McNichols Co. (Tampa, FL) provided 2,000 sq. ft. of 14-gauge, stainless-steel, perforated metal for the tower of the $195 million River Spirit Casino in Tulsa, OK.
Randy Eslick, owner of Tulsa-based Eslick Design, which was tapped to design the tower, said the material, from McNichols® Designer Metal series, created durability without adding structural costs, and it helped complement the contemporary architecture of the casino. Fabrication of the structure went to Claude Neon Federal (CNF), also of Tulsa. (For other stories concerning River Spirit, see This Calls for a Stop Dance and Best of Rest: Claude Neon Federal Eslick Design.)
Eslick said, “Sign architecture is becoming more contemporary, prompted by LEED certification and the appeal of the high-tech look.”
The 71.3 x 37-ft., multimedia River Casino sign presented fabrication challenges that CNF was experienced at handling. “The design called for perforated-metal panels to run horizontally at various angles,” said Joe Kesterson, CNF senior designer. “With so many angles to consider, lining up the sheets evenly was the trickiest part.”
To work out the details, CNF created a 6-ft.-tall mockup, a step that helped determine the perforation pattern that matched the design intent. The team looked at patterns with 3/8- to 1-in. holes, eventually choosing 0.5-in. round holes on 11/16-in. staggered centers.
“The pattern gave a 45% show-through, so the paint could be seen through the holes.” Applied to the 0.125 aluminum “under skin,” the two shades of grey created the look of depth as it reflected through the holes. The “under skin” was affixed to 2-in. steel angled frame.
To add night appeal and complement the digital display screen, the sign features LED lights embedded in horizontal, aluminum, C-channels. Perforated metal panels were cut in various angled horizontal shapes, which started at 4 x 10-ft.
Eslick’s company has seen sign materials evolve. After the popularity of wood, cold-roll-style sheetmetal and anodized aluminum, the industry is now focused on specialty metals, he said, because of their low maintenance, contemporary styling and recycled benefits.
The trend is evident at the newer Las Vegas gaming establishments, where stainless steel and glass are replacing the once popular Styrofoam with concrete coating. The latter, while lightweight, requires painting and repainting, said Eslick.
Eslick said, “I like the way perforated metal reflects light. It looks less metallic and friendlier than the more common stainless steel, which can look more traditional.”
For River Spirit Casino, creating a perforated metal backdrop for the lighted logo, diagonal LED light channels and digital display helped fulfill his vision for the sign that welcomed its first visitors to the casino when it opened May 2009.
Proceeds from the gaming operations help to fund a variety of Muscogee (Creek) Nation service programs such as housing, education, elderly assistance and healthcare.