Only in Vegas can one discover an enormous fire breathing dragon. For over a year, TKOart has been conceptualizing, designing, and fabricating the 128 foot dragon for the Venetian Palazzo in Las Vegas celebrating Chinese New Year – The Year of the Dragon. With our team of designers, artists, animatronic engineers, and welders from all over the world, the monstrous statue arrived on three huge trucks Sunday at the Palazzo after traveling by boat from our studio in Russia. In order to get the 8,000 pound zodiac to its new home at the property’s Waterfall & Atrium Gardens, a crew tore out walls and then carted the dragon through the casino floor. Once it arrived at its final destination, craftsmen soldered and molded the dragon together while artists painted bringing the dragon to life in vivid golds and reds. Last night, engineers tested the fire breathing mechanics while the property’s horticultural department magnificently garnished the landscape.
Here is an excerpt from Vegas.com – “The dragon is the most powerful of the zodiac signs [so] we had to create something that Las Vegas would never forget,” said Dana Beatty, director of horticulture for The Venetian and The Palazzo. “The enormous size of the dragon will be the biggest thrill to our guests.”
Beatty said in addition to the massive dragon, the entire garden features the art of Feng Shui. The garden’s east bed represents the water elements, complete with a red and gold bridge over a stream with live koi fish. The west bed represents earth elements with metal coins, large boulders, 35-foot bamboo trees and Amstel King Ficus Trees to represent wood.
“There is incredible detail to the gardens during Chinese New Year,” said Beatty. “Instead of using large blocks of color, we designed the gardens to resemble an oriental forest. This [encourages] our guests to stroll around and enjoy the beauty of the plants, rocks, trees and mosses. It has a festive and soothing feel.”
Beatty added that there are more than 1,000 plants in the gardens, including tangerine trees, red Phormium, Kalanchoes, yellow monkey grass, red kangaroo paws, chrysanthemums, maiden hair ferns and red sedum.
A secret friend to the dragon, a rooster will sit to the west of the ground fountain. The two zodiac signs are compatible with one another and together bring harmony, wealth and lucky relationships.”
From Jan. 23 through Feb. 5, the 128-foot dragon will shoot fire and smoke from its mouth 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., daily (2 p.m. on Jan. 23, Chinese New Year Day).
Michael January 14, 2012
This is awesome! Just awesome! Congrats to Heather, Troy and your entire team! This is a fantastic story!