Hofbrauhaus Heaven
A Taste of Germany comes to Las Vegas
By Tony Illia

Strap on your Lederhausen, an authentic piece of Germany is coming to Southern Nevada. Salt Lake City-based R&O Construction is currently finishing work on the $3.2 million, 18,500 sq.-ft. Hofbrauhaus restaurant, located at the southeast corner of Paradise and Harmon avenues in Las Vegas.

A 30-year licensing agreement between the Bavarian government and developer BVT Hbavaraia, LP of Atlanta, makes the Las Vegas Hofbrauhaus the only franchise of its kind outside of Germany. The 500-year-old Hofbrauhaus in Munich is legendary for its outdoor beer gardens, which attract thousands of visitors annually.

The Las Vegas version, although only 1/3 of the original's size, seeks to reproduce a similar Old World feel by creating a sense of volume. The single-level, 65-ft.-tall building appears to be much bigger than it is in reality. By placing three levels of faux outdoor windows as well as recesses and a balcony, the 120-ft.-by-190-ft. structure has a multi-story look. Also, a hand-painted sky adorns the dome-shaped interior ceiling, making patrons feels as if they were outside. Planted trees and 12-ft.-dia. fountain help complete the effect.

"The beer garden is an indoor space designed to have an outdoors feel," said Mark Mikelson, R&O's project manager. "You need that added volume in order to successfully create the illusion . . .. It's hard to give a sense of being outdoors with a low ceiling."

Designed by Pearlman Architects of Henderson, the new Hofbrauhaus has several architectural details that mimic the famed Munich restaurant. For example, the pitched roofline has 70,000 imported clay tiles that are scalloped-shaped much like the aged buildings in Europe. Also, the interior has ceramic tile and a stamped concrete floor with a fish-scale pattern.

"Basically, what we're trying to do is mimic, exactly, what is going on in Munich," said Tom Bennetts, Pearlman's project architect. "Standing side-by-side between ours and the Munich Hofbrauhaus, you would be seeing an exact duplicate."

The Las Vegas Hofbrauhaus will consist of a 367-seat main dining hall and 426-seat indoor beer garden. Patrons will be seated family-style on long wood-plank picnic-style tables and benches. The restaurant will serve authentic Bavarian fare and imported Hofbrauhaus brew in large glass beer steins.

"All the furnishings, colors and fixtures are coming from Munich in order to recreate the original Hofbrauhaus atmosphere," Bennetts said. "We are trying to make it look old."

Construction, however, has entailed some unique challenges.

"It's a very congested jobsite with little room for staging or storage," Mikelson said.
"There are two busy streets on either side of use and an operating hotel behind."

Despite this, progress on the steel-framed building, set atop concrete spread footings and clad in EIFS (Exterior Insulating Finishing System), is moving along smoothly.
About 100 tradesmen will be onsite during the height of construction activity. Situated on 1.4 acres, the building has a 70-ft. clear span that requires large steel-flange I-beam girders. The wide columnless space was necessary to complete the appearance of being outdoors. Started in February, the Las Vegas Hofbrauhaus is tentatively slated to open in time for Octoberfest.

Related Stories:
Tucson Meets Tuscany
Hofbrauhaus Heaven
Mesa Goes Artistic
Theater in the Round