Engineering for the Spectacle

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2005

Publication Title

Mechanical Engineering

Volume

127

Issue

1

First page number:

42

Last page number:

44

Abstract

A design revolution is taking place in entertainment, and technology is playing a major role.

Just as computer graphics have enhanced movies and video games, live entertainment, too, is showcasing spectacles requiring ever-more-sophisticated technical effects. Nowhere has this trend been more evident than in Las Vegas, the live-entertainment capital of the world.

While the casino hotels look to gaming to furnish a significant part of their income, they realize that more is required to get the customer in the door. The major casino hotels vie to furnish special entertainment experiences. Treasure Island has the "Sirens of the TI" pirate ship battle on Buccaneer Bay. The Mirage is known for a volcano that sports a piña colada aroma. The Sahara has its very fast induction-driven roller coaster. The Lagoon Show at the Bellagio, where the fountains perform almost unbelievable gyrations and the jets reach extreme heights, is world-famous. Mandalay Bay has a high-tech aquarium in its Shark Reef. Cirque du Soleil's "O" show at the Bellagio and the Celine Dion show at Caesars are characterized by special technical support and computer control.

Keywords

Amusements – Equipment and supplies; Casinos – Technological innovations; Nevada – Las Vegas; Performing arts – Technological innovations

Disciplines

Computer-Aided Engineering and Design | Electro-Mechanical Systems | Gaming and Casino Operations Management | Mechanical Engineering | Other Mechanical Engineering | Theatre and Performance Studies

Language

English

Permissions

Use Find in Your Library, contact the author, or interlibrary loan to garner a copy of the item. Publisher policy does not allow archiving the final published version. If a post-print (author's peer-reviewed manuscript) is allowed and available, or publisher policy changes, the item will be deposited.


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