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Engineering Las Vegas CoNtiNuEd froM pagE 28 marvel of modern engineering. The walls of the hotel are the hotel’s rooms, with each hallway having an open balcony looking down into the interior of the pyramid. At 29 million cubic feet, the atrium of the building is the largest in the world. In each corner is an elevator designed especially for the Luxor that goes up at the angle of the pyramid. They have been dubbed “inclinators,” since they take passengers on an incline instead of straight up and down. In front of the Bellagio Las Vegas hotel, engineering and technology touch emotion, as robots make water dance to music at the Fountains of Bellagio show. Lights, computer-controlled water jets, music and even a little fog are all part of this spectacle on the Strip. The fountain has 1,200 nozzles that can keep as many as 17,000 gallons of water in the air at a time. Three main water-shooting devices — the Hores man, the Mini shoot- their replica. The Las Vegas tower differs slightly in some ways from the original. For example, the observation deck is Engineering concepts and principles help create the fun and excitement of Vegas. er and the Super Shooter — send water straight into the air to create an artistic masterpiece. Each show lasts about five minutes and uses 25,000 cubic feet of compressed air and 7.5 megawatts of electricity sent through 350 miles of electrical wire. The Paris Eiffel Tower in Las Vegas is an engineering wonder built at one-half scale from structural and civil engineer Gustave Eiffel’s original plans. Structural engineers responsible for building the Vegas tower used Eiffel’s book to create enclosed, for safety. Also, the 300,000 rivets in the replica are welded together and not necessary for the stability of the steel structure, but they help make the replica look like the original in style and design. A custom-designed crane, the largest in the U.S., was needed to assist in the construction of the Las Vegas Eiffel Tower. The structure is composed of 5,000 tons of welded steel. ■ A.M. Morgan is a freelance writer based in Little Elm, Texas. teAcHinG sHow Biz tecHnoLoGy T tim Goins was an electrical engineering student in unLv’s class of 2008 and a starting left guard on the football team 30 • march/april 2009 • he Entertainment Engineering and Design Program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) teaches engineering students how to apply their imaginations, as well as their technical know-how, to create cutting-edge attractions such as those found on the Las Vegas Strip. The entertainment engineering field has evolved to incorporate machinery, computer-aided design, robotics and pyrotechnics, a fact that has helped put this program in high demand. The program leads to a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineer- ing with a minor in entertainment engineering and design. The curriculum ranges from mechanical and civil engineering to art and architecture, taught by faculty drawn from engineering, arts, business and hotel administration. The construction technologies courses, for example, focus on creating the high-tech facilities that can support Vegas-style productions. An engineering student might study advanced materials that could be used in such productions. Robotics and animatronics, used to bring many Vegas shows’ characters to life, are another area of study. The Entertainment Engineering and Design Program at UNLV provides an academic path for students who are interested in pursuing a career that combines engineering principles, new materials and new and emerging technologies with traditional theatrical practices and the artistic demands of the entertainment industry. ■ — a.M.M. www.nsbe.org

NSBE - March/April 2009

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