7/31/2019 "Showroom Rock" -- New American Luxury
1/3nEw AmErICAn LUxUry / july + aug + sept 2012
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s h o w r o o m
R o c k Cd b Cleo Deig, Ciq d soi nw vi elvIs howoom h CiCn
arIa ro & Cino i n hom o od-choo v mo
BACk In tImE
Cirque du Soleils Viva ELVIS
theater transports you back
in time to when the luxury
and opulence of a traditional
Vegas showroom was magi-
cally romanticized with eve-
ning gowns, a matre d, and
champagne. Red-velvet seating
for more than 2,500 and the
appearance of a mile-high
stage proscenium amplify the
evenings excitement.
7/31/2019 "Showroom Rock" -- New American Luxury
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177 / POrtFOLIO
wOrDs
Lisa Ryan
PhOtOGrAPhy
Ryan Reason of Studio West
studiowestphotography.com
DEsIGn FIrm
Cleo Design
5935 Edmond St., Suite 115
Las Vegas, NV 89118
702 873 7070
cleo-design.com
When it came to designing the Las Vegas
CityCenters new Elvis showroom, Cleo Des
opted for a little less kitsch, a little more lu
The space was set to house the newest Cirq
Soleil showan exquisite tribute to the Kin
Rock n Roll himselfand needed to pay h
age to Elvis Presleys amboyant air, whilremaining subtle and
sophisticated.
It had to have an old Vegas showroom
says Ken Kulas, co-owner of Cleo Design.
trick was to gure out how we could do th
without using any of the very clich thing
would expect in a showroom. We needed
thing more on the esoteric side, but it stil
to have the warmth, excitement, and ene
what the old Elvis showroom looked l ike w
he was performing at The International.
To realize this vision, Kulas and Ann Fl
ing, the other co-owner of Cleo Design, w
very closely with the MGM Group, who ow
the Aria Resort and Casino at CityCenter,
well as Cirque du Soleils executive staff i
Montreal. The MGM Group had a lot of se
thoughts in what we would do with how t
operation of the building would work. On
other hand, Cirque du Soleil had much m
unique demands as it related to the aesth
Kulas explains.
Kulas grew up in Las Vegas, and has rs
hand experience of Elvis performing at T h
Internationals theater during its heyday.
had a very different impression of what E
was supposed to be as opposed to what th
Canadians thought Elvis represented, he
It was great to hear their interpretation;
came up with an interesting combination
themes together.
