Nearly a year after the groundbreaking ceremony, UNLV’s much-awaited Hospitality Hall is coming to life — and there’s a way for you to be part of its history.

With construction on track, Hospitality Hall will be open to Harrah Hotel College students starting in the spring semester of 2018.

In addition to state funding, numerous private industry partnerships and alumni donations make this project possible.

One special gift came from an alumnus of the hotel college’s first graduating class. As a way of giving back to his alma mater, Bill Paulos, ’69 BS Hospitality Administration, made a generous donation to Hospitality Hall and will name the south-entrance garden in honor of his son, Nicholas. Paulos is principal of Cannery Casino Resorts.

Now, all alumni, students, and friends of the college have the opportunity to be a part of history and leave their mark on the building alongside Paulos. More than 1,000 pavers can be purchased and personalized before being placed in the garden’s walkway.

As we continue to watch Hospitality Hall evolve, here are some construction facts about the building:

• The amount of steel used to construct the building is 1,477,728 pounds, or roughly 738 tons — or 73 orcas.

• When all of the concrete is placed, it will be able to fill an entire Olympic swimming pool, which is about 88,000 cubic feet.

• The longest piece of steel in the building is nearly 70.5 feet long and weighs more than 8 tons. This is longer than a Major League pitcher can throw a fastball, which is only 60.5 feet long.

• There is more than 3,112 cubic yards of concrete in the building. This is enough for a 5-foot-wide sidewalk to stretch 12.5 miles.
• The largest exterior panels are 12 feet long, 4 feet tall, and weigh 325 pounds. The average weight of an offensive lineman in the NFL is 310 pounds.