Address: 6300 Hollywood Way, Orlando, FL 32819
Work: KENPAT provided interior framing, interior wall systems, exterior cladding, acoustical ceilings, and drywall ceilings.
General Contractor: Hensel-Phelps
Architect: Fugleberg Koch
Dates: April 2015 – August 2015
Awards:
• 2016 ABC Central Florida Excellence in Construction Eagle Award
Loews Royal Pacific Hotel Ballroom/Convention Space
Situation
The Loews Royal Pacific Hotel, already the largest meeting hotel on Universal property, aimed to expand its event space from 85,000 square feet to more than 140,000 square feet. The new space features a nearly 36,000-square-foot ballroom, divisible into up to 12 smaller ballrooms or meeting spaces, along with four additional breakout rooms and pre-function space. Loew’s Hotels contracted with Hensel Phelps to serve as General Contractor for this project.
Task
KENPAT completed interior and exterior framing, wall systems, and ceilings, completing all work within four months.
Action
KENPAT initially completed the exterior framing and finishing of the new ballroom,using stucco with EIFS bands. The new structure had to be integrated with the existing hotel and conference center. Despite a rainy start in April, KENPAT worked efficiently to dry in the building and prepare for interior work.
The interior features a central ballroom that can be divided into 12 smaller spaces with movable walls. Surrounding it are corridors and meeting rooms, with kitchen and support areas on one side.
The mechanical support systems were located above the corridors. KENPAT worked closely with the General Contractor and HVAC teams to ensure the proper installation of large mechanical equipment. Additionally, ventilation ductwork was required to extend from these systems into the ballroom area, providing ductwork and outlets for each of the 12 sub-ballroom areas. This necessitated close coordination between KENPAT and these teams during the ceiling installation throughout the building.
The ceilings in the facility had two components requiring additional diligence and workmanship from KENPAT. First, the corridors were designed with special acoustical ceilings. KENPAT collaborated with the Architect and manufacturers to create custom fabric-wrapped ceiling tiles that met design specifications. Additionally, the tiles were installed in a 1.5-inch grid, painted to match the corridor color scheme. This required extra coordination for KENPAT to ensure the finished product met the desired appearance.
The ballroom area posed significant challenges. The main room can be divided into up to 12 smaller rooms, each needing high sound insulation to prevent interference between areas. Sliding operable wall panels, which move along ceiling tracks, are used to create these separations.
KENPAT installed a 20-foot acoustical ceiling and constructed sound-rated soffits around the operable wall panel track system. Using up to 50 lifts, the team ensured full soundproofing of the walls and soffits. The work was challenging due to the steel needed for the partitions and the precise completion of the sound rating while preserving the architectural design.
Similar work was conducted on a smaller scale in each of the meeting rooms surrounding the ballroom. These rooms can also be partitioned into smaller spaces, and each required the same level of detail in the ceiling and soffit work as the main ballroom.
Result
The completed facility expands the Royal Pacific Hotel’s convention and meeting space. Designed to integrate seamlessly with existing structures, it provides a dynamic new venue for Orlando’s growing convention industry. KENPAT earned the 2016 ABC Central Florida Excellence in Construction Eagle Award for its work on the project.
