Title supplied by cataloger. In 1920, William Wrigley Jr. and David M. Renton had a small casino built to serve as an entertainment and gathering place for Catalina Island's visitors. In a short period of time though this establishment, the Sugarloaf Casino, proved to be too small to accommodate the growing number of guests, and in February 1928 it was demolished to make room for a much larger building. The Catalina Casino Ballroom, also known as Avalon Ballroom, was built on the same spot by architects Sumner A. Spaulding and William Webber in the Moorish Alhambra style with Art Deco fixtures, furnishings and artwork, and included a grand ballroom and movie theater. The ballroom has the world's largest circular floor, constructed of maple, white oak, and rosewood, which rest on a layer of felt and acoustical paper. The felt and paper were installed over a sub-floor made up of pine, ensuring a smooth and comfortable dancing experience. Wrigley's budget for the design and construction of the Catalina Casino was $600,000, but when all was said and done, he ended up spending $2 million. Today, the famous twelve-story art deco landmark hosts most of Catalina's major indoor events, including the annual New Year's Eve Celebration, and the Catalina Island Jazz Festival. Interior view of the Catalina Casino Ballroom, also known as Avalon Ballroom, located inside the Catalina Casino building. An arching, fifty-foot ceiling with five Tiffany chandeliers, an elevated stage, raised seating areas surround the dance floor, which had numerous round tables set up when this photograph was taken. The island's famous Art Deco landmark opened in 1929, and is located at 1 Casino Way on Santa Catalina Island.
Type
image
Format
1 photographic print :b&w ;21 x 26 cm. Photographic prints
Catalina Casino Art deco (Architecture)--California--Santa Catalina Island Ballrooms--California--Santa Catalina Island Buildings--California--Santa Catalina Island Islands--California--Santa Catalina Island Bays--California--Santa Catalina Island Wrigley, William,1861-1932 Spaulding, Sumner A Webber, William Santa Catalina Island (Calif.) Avalon (Calif.)
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