Pala Casino Spa Resort

Situated within the Pala Indian Reservation in San Diego, Pala Casino Spa Resort is a popular Southern California destination that offers gaming, live shows, a bevy of on-site restaurants, a pool, spa treatments, and more. 

When OTL was called in, the hotel’s lobby featured a 20-plus-year-old fountain that required renovations to help the property maintain its reputation as a world-class hospitality, dining, and entertainment venue. The project called for a complete reimagining of the amenity to drive the resort’s first impression – inspiring delight, awe and wonder in guests. 

Idea 

The Pala Band of Mission Indians hired OTL to complete the existing architectural fountain’s transformation. Distinguished by six strands of 20-foot decorative rain chains that were hand-selected by the casino owner, as well as four decorative natural boulders with water running down the surface, the renewed fountain would evoke in guests a sense of opulence and of being immediately transported to exotic lands. 

Our team met several challenges during this construction project. We were limited to working with the existing water feature’s structure, which included piping located within the lobby’s ceiling. This meant we needed to access the piping in a public area around guests, which would risk disturbing them with the sights and sounds of demolition. We mitigated this by working modified hours to avoid upsetting patrons and creating noise concerns in the hotel. 

OTL also encountered challenges in distributing water to the decorative rain chain assemblies for the renovated fountain. We resolved this issue by reworking the hanging assembly/system to incorporate water delivery into the chains. 

Impact

Pala Casino Spa Resort’s rebuilt lobby fountain captivates guests as soon as they enter the hotel. The lighted, colorful strands and realistic rockwork resemble a magical rain forest, ready to calm, soothe and ready visitors for a wonderful experience at the destination.  

OTL’s work on this fountain enabled the project owner to create a completely new area within the lobby that would enchant guests far into the future.