MGM Grand Elevator Modernization

Photos courtesy of Eklund’s

The MGM Grand in Las Vegas opened in 1993 and has been among the largest hotel complexes in the U.S. In 2010, Eklund’s of the Dallas area and Otis Elevator Co. joined efforts to complete the elevator modernization with minimal disruption to the hotel guests. The project required maximum allowable elevator operation for passengers, so work on the elevator cabs was completed on an individual basis.

Otis performed a traffic analysis of the six-car group before the design phase began. Based on the analysis, Otis recommended dedicating two of the cars in the group as service cars to segment building traffic, while meeting passenger demand. Otis worked with the customer to develop a design that would be both durable and aligned with the aesthetics of the site. In order to help ensure durability, Otis leveraged a stainless-steel surround on the bottom of the cab.

In June 2010, Eklund’s started the cab-interiors portion of the project, which took about three months. The existing elevator interiors were basic plastic laminate with ­fluorescent lighting. The current design features a stainless-steel lower panel that provides a durable finish. The upper wall panels create a contrast by alternating red-tinted glass and laser cut #4 stainless-steel over glass. These details were inspired by the adjacent MGM West Wing Bar and Lounge finishes. The mirrored stainless-steel trim around the downlights help create a sense of a taller
cab interior without altering the canopy construction. Perimeter linear LED lighting was added above the finished ceiling to highlight the upper glass panels.

During the installation phase, Otis installed new doors, car-operating panels and tile flooring in the four passenger elevators. It also rebalanced the final cars to accommodate the weight change that came as a result of the new cab interiors.