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The $300 million, 10-story Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center, was built on a 65-acre site near Orlando and features 1,406 guestrooms, 700,000 sf of convention space and 354,000 sf of retail and entertainment area.
The 2.2 million sf facility, built in 29 months in a joint venture with Perini Building Company, features a four and a half acre themed, 16-story glass atrium representing Key West, St. Augustine and the Everglades regions of Florida. Key West consists of a themed fish house restaurant and a sailboat that functions as an oyster bar. Detailing includes clapboard siding, stucco and stone finishes, shakes and shingles, with louvered doors, porches, patios and courtyard spaces.
St. Augustine includes retail shops, meeting space, Villa de Flora restaurant, a wedding pavilion, and a replica of Bastion Terrace Fort, an attraction that also serves as a major gathering and event space within the hotel.
The Everglades features a steakhouse and several water
attractions. The atrium emulates the natural, rustic and
rural backwoods swampy character of the Florida Everglades.
Rickety boardwalks and shanties built on stilts of Sabal
Palm logs with rusty sheet metal roofing and hemp rope
ties lend credence to the recreation of the Florida "outback"
environment. Out of the wetlands and the embankments of
the swamp, rise Cypress trees. The addition of Spanish
Moss and a selection of blooming Bromeliads and Orchids
set high in the trees and at the water's edge adding color
to the landscape. A boardwalk above the wetlands allows
guests to take a stroll over this area and experience
being among the treetops.
The spring artesian water feature that flows in front
of the guests as they enter the main atrium represents
natural Florida. The welling up of the ground water and
the resultant geologic forms of sinkholes, underwater
caves, and springs is a testament to the geologic makeup
of the water influence in the state. The rockscape finishes
used in the main atrium include natural rock formations
brought in from regions throughout the state. The combined
use of natural and artificial rock provide dams for falling
water effects and rock overhang at the waters edge. In
addition, three outdoor swimming pools are incorporated
into the site. |
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Gaylord Palms Resort
and Convention Center
Kissimmee, Florida
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| Project Location |
Kissimmee, Florida |
| Construction Value |
$300 million |
| Building Size |
Guestrooms
— 1,406 sf
Convention Space —
700,000 sf
Retail & Entertainment —
354,000 sf
Themed Atrium —
180,000 sf |
| Completion |
2002 |
| Assignment |
General
Contracting |
| Client |
Gaylord Hotels, a Gaylord Entertainment Company |
| Architect |
Hnedak Bobo Group, Inc. |
| Awards |
ABC
Central Florida
Eagle Award for Excellence in Construction (2002) |
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