Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) August 06, 2014
Nationally-recognized Native American designer Ken Rhyne, a Principal with Urban Design Group (UDG), is speaking about casino interior design trends as part of an expert panel at the 20th Annual Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association (OIGA) Conference and Trade Show. The conference focuses on all aspects of the Indian Gaming Industry and is being held at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City, OK on August 11-13, 2014.
Rhyne will serve as a panelist for a session titled “One Must Have a Touch of Color: Casino Interiors” on Wednesday, August 13 from 11:30 am – 12:30 pm. Rhyne and the other panel members will discuss casino design trends, the importance of color in gaming interiors and considerations for redesigning casino interiors for a fresh look without an entire overhaul or redesign of the property.
More than 2,500 industry professionals are expected to attend the event including tribal gaming operators, leaders representing numerous tribes, gaming employees, gaming commissioners and vendor partners. The event will feature a welcome reception, golf tournament, poker tournament, tradeshow, educational sessions and an awards banquet.
About Ken Rhyne, Allied AIA, AICAE, Principal, UDG:
Rhyne, a Principal with UDG, is a noted interior designer and pivotal part of the firm’s leadership team. Rhyne, Allied AIA, is a member of the American Indian Council of Architects and Engineers (AICAE). He has over 35 years of experience in conceptual architectural and interior design projects, including sustainable design, green architecture and the respectful infusion of Native American culture into his work.
His national portfolio includes the Museum of the Seven Feathers in South Carolina, Weedon Island Preserve Educational Center in Florida, Red Hawk Casino in California and the award-winning Cultural Resources Center for the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian and the Kampen Eagle Wing Center in Indiana.
Rhyne is also a talented blues singer and harmonica player and is regarded by many as one of the most accomplished blues rock/southern rock artists of our time. The Ken Rhyne Band was a Nammy (Native American Music Awards) nominee for Best Blues Album of the Year. Rhyne is also a member of the Pfeiffer University Baseball Hall of Fame and was a minor league player for the Washington Senators and Texas Rangers.
Through his design, music and civic involvement, Rhyne has served as an advocate for Native American issues throughout his life. He is a Tuscarora Indian and a nationally-recognized designer with a talent for respectfully incorporating tribal culture into museums, cultural centers and other types of facilities.
About The Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association (OIGA):
Established in 1986, OIGA is a non-profit organization of Indian Nations with other non-voting associate members representing organizations, tribes and businesses engaged in tribal gaming enterprises from around Oklahoma. The common commitment and purpose of OIGA is to advance the welfare of Indian people economically, socially and politically. For more information, please visit http://www.okindiangaming.org.
About the award-winning architectural firm UDG:
Founded in 1975, UDG offers architectural, interior design, and master planning services to its worldwide clientele from offices in Atlanta, GA, and Dallas, TX. A market leader in the application and advancement of Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology and Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), UDG's personnel work on a wide range of projects from gaming, hospitality and resort projects to corporate office, university facilities, and urban mixed-use developments.
In the firm's 39-year history, UDG has completed more than $6 Billion in projects worldwide. The firm has received more than 80 design excellence awards and honors and 15 design competition awards, and has been featured in hundreds of magazine articles, newspaper pieces and design resource books. For more information, please visit http://www.urbandesigngroup.com.
