All
Dubai had the world’s largest fireworks display on Jan 1, 08
Now they want to open their newest resort Atlantis with another giant fireworks display and one of our members left this morning to help them put on the show.
Willie Wonka has posted here and he has been asked by the Grucci Company to help put on this display.
Grucci needed 200 extra pyrotechnic engineers to help put on the show. Because he has experience doing computer directed displays they asked him to help with the show. Here is the link.
http://www.atlantisthepalm.com/news.aspx
http://www.atlantisthepalm.com/content/pdf/ATP_GO_Final.pdf
BT is on the ground helping the world run smoothly. Just thougt some of you would get a kick out of it.
Rich
Replies
All
I got an e-mail from Willie today. I thought you might be interested.
Before he eft he gave me permission to share with BT. Rich
Hey Rich...
I got your text msg. I tried replying to you but when I do it always replies back to me, like I’m sending a msg to myself. I have internet for the next few days.
It's been rough last two days but today was much better and tomorrow promises to be the same.
We did a dress rehearsal tonight firing live product. We found a serious problem. One which COULD deprive us of the world record. This show is bigger than anything I ever comprehended or seen before. It's just HUGE in all respects. With such size comes problems, and not small ones as we found out tonight. We have 2 days to fix the problems and think there is a chance we can fix it, but not sure. We're not sure what the problem is, we think we know but still not sure. Tomorrow will be a day of massive debugging to find the problem and fix it.
Talk to you later...I'm supposed to be returning home the 24th at 2:11pm. arriving back in States. I'll miss Dubai. I like it here. English is spoken almost everywhere. City is very very clean. It takes some getting used to but in the time I've been here I have gotten used to it.
This is an Islamic city. Every few hours you hear the Islamic prayers being broadcast over the city. In my room is a copy of the Koran and an alarm clock that goes off ever so often for prayer time to Allah and an arrow on the ceiling pointing the way towards Mecca. It's rather interesting. Most people here are English speaking or westernized. There is Taco Bell here, KFC, Pizza Hut, McDs, etc, etc.
We are doing the fireworks on the Palm Jumeirah Island. The ENTIRE island actually. Very incredible what we're doing. Never seen so many fireworks ever. It' s just amazing, totally amazing.
Willie
The Grucci company is based in Long Island and they do many of the fireworks shows for the villages of the Hamptons.I worked on a large scale project in the Bahamas (also where the Atlantis resort had a huge fireworks grand opening a decade ago) and some of my former colleagues have gone to either Dubai or Abu Dhabi. I have heard mostly good things about Dubai as well, sort of an Islamic Las Vegas come Shangrila. I am working on a competition for a project in Abu Dhabi now, if it goes through I'll be visiting there in the not too distant future.
TGNY
I am working on a competition for a project in Abu Dhabi now, if it goes through I'll be visiting there in the not too distant future.
I hope you win the contract. Dubai sounds like an exotic place to go.
Kind of weird that I would think a place that has a McDonalds would be exotic. LOL
Rich
I saw more KFC's in two weeks in China then I have seen my whole life in North America, at least it seemed that way.Apparently Abu Dhabi is a little more staid and conservative (if that's the right term) then Dubai. Doha is also a booming place.
All
Willie sent this text this AM.
We need a miracle. We just learned that the salt water is eating thru the cables. There is not enough time to run new cables. Willie
Rich
All
Willie sent me 2 e-mails today about the problems with the fireworks show.
Hey Rich, sorry about the 2:30am text msg. It's so weird how your body adjusts, when it's day here it's night home, etc. Yet I'm acting like I would during the day at home, but I"m here, awake and kicking at a time I'd normally be in bed snoring away.
The computer system uses 2 wire lamp cord. We've run the cord before in fresh water, never in salt. THe salt is thick in the water here. We are concerned that the salt water is eating thru the insulation of the lamp cord, causing us to get some very bogus readings when we do the system tests. As it stands right now we have no idea if the labor we put out the last week will even fire. We got some new cord in that is water tight and rated for water, but we do not have enough time to recable everything. We are starting at 6am tomorrow. Showtime was at midnight but it's been moved to 1:30AM. Once showtime is over we'll be here an additional 3 hours. Maybe longer. Tomorrow will be a very long day, I"ll be up about 22hrs straight. It's the pits, shows like this are rare and they kill you every time I work on one. THis one promises to be the big daddy of killers. Will our stuff in the waterways fire? I dunno, At this point we think it's a 50/50 chance. Some fired last night,but not all, it's very concerning as we put in hours of labor and then to not have the stuff go off?? It may cost us the world record we're going for. In fact I'm sure of it. At this point the record takes a back seat. We still have a paying customer and we must give him the show he paid for, record or not. Thus we will start at 6am and do as much recabling as we can knowing we can't get it all.
That's funny, your telling the guys you get a txt from Dubai. TEll 'em it's your great great rich uncle from Dubai. Man does the money flow over here. There are no paved or concrete streets. They're ALL pavers, the same paver is used everywhere. Even the sidewalks are the same pavers. Everywher, miles and miles and miles and miles of pavers. Unbeliavable. Money flows lilke water over here. Its so unreal.
I'm heading to the mall to get my sons some gifts. They have a big indoor ski slope in this mall. I'll get some pics. I'm NOT looking forward to returning home to COLD and rotting wood. LOL.
All
Here is the 2nd e-mail. I thought some of you might get a kick out of reading about a BT guy 1/2 way around the world helping put on (possibly) a world record fireworks show. Rich
By the way, here in the hotel room, I have the master bath in my room. It is SMALL. For $2500 night room you an barely turn around in the bathroom with the door open. Also they have no shower curtains here or shower doors. Instead you get HALF of a shower door, the half side closest to the shower head. I have to wonder..WHY?? The floor gets soaked without the other half. Also, they don't use washcloths over here. They have no freaking clue what one is. All they have to give you is a Loofa sponge which scrubs yoiur skin. But you can't get clean like you can with a cloth. I asked for a washcloth and they have no idea what the heck I'm talking about.
Willie
This is going to be huge. I would love to be there.Atlantis Dubai plans lavish openingThe Atlantis Hotel in Dubai is throwing an extravagant grand opening ceremony that will be attended by 2,000 VIP guests including Hollywood stars, heads of state and billionaire business moguls, the UK's Telegraph has reported. The four-day celebration, which is estimated to cost over £15m, will include a performance by Kylie Minogue, - her first in the Middle East - and a fireworks display, masterminded by the pyrotechnics experts behind the Olympics opening ceremony, that will cover all 43km of the development. It will be on a scale 10 times larger than the Beijing Games display and will be visible from space, according to the organisers.
TGNY
And I thought the Beijing fireworks was out of this world huge.
Rich
Yeah me too. I heard there was some graphic enhancements for TV, but some of my colleagues who were there said they were unbelievable.I am going to India next weekend and I could have flown through Dubai. Wish I could afford the time cause I'd love to see it.
TGNY
I got 2 more e-mails from Willie
One last night and one this morning. I will do it in 2 posts.
Gentlemen, based on what I know, I believe there is indeed the likelyhood that we did indeed set a record tonight. I personally have never in my whole life witnessed a spectacle like I did tonight. Speechless, awestruck, and unbelievable are but a few of the words to describe this. I got a few videos on my camera but not the entire event. The noise was absolutely incredible. It was pure unadulterated fireworks heaven, noise from every possible direction and LOUD the way I love it.
We were faced with massive problems getting the cakes on the pontoons to go off today due to problems with testing. However, it would seem most of that was overcome by our round the clock work to rewire using a new waterproof wire. Virtually all cakes went. There were about 10% that did not go which only later did go because the cakes caught fire and eventualy consumed those that didn't go. For well over an hour after the show tonight you had cakes going off in random locations. We had numerous pontoon fires and some even sank due to catastrophic fires. Oh well that's just the way it was tonight.
The show was broadcast live on TV and I"m told it was awesome seeing from the air perspective. It is now 4: 15am, and we have 6hrs to sleep. We've been up since 5:30am so we've pushed a full 23hr day. For us on the pontoon boats we never had a break today of any significance, we were just constantly on the move up to show time rewiring. WE could not get all cakes rewired. THose that we rewired worked, those with the old two wire white cord often did not work. We now have 2 days to tear down and clean up what took 10 days to do. Yippee....I would say our time here has been successful and that we did what we came to do. Maybe it was the size of this project, all I know is we worked harder, and did lots of rework due to disorganization issues. But the point is, we got it off the ground successfully and I feel sure we were able to earn the record, I just need to hear it officially to be certain.
Goodnight.
Willie
Edited 11/21/2008 7:13 am ET by cargin
TGNY
Willie's e-mail
The show last night was a success in many ways in spite the many problems. I awoke to news that videos were on then news last night of the show. Some of the videos are incredible. I was on the left side middle of the palm island (middle left 2 fronds) and got some video on my digi cam which is taken from within the warzone. Seeing the warzone videos I got, plus the videos from the helicopters and close up shots of the Atantis by the networks sends this thing out of the park. Now that I"m rested, and got thru all the bugs and humps along the way to getting here, I have to say ths is probably one of the most memorable experiences of a lifetime. Unless you were there, and unless you're an enthusiast I"m not sure you could feel the joy, thrill and adrenaline felt as I stood in the middle of this plot in the world, and could only go WOW and filled with dumbstruck awe. TO awake and see video posted on Youtube and the news was icing on the cake.
Here are a few video clips of interest. Some of you may have already seen these, others haven't yet. Some are 5 min clips from CNN, some are from other sources. The last one was taken from the very hotel we were staying in. We're on the 39th floor, not sure who took this, wasn't one of our crew, just another guest of the hotel I guess. Our hotel is right on the beach area beside the Palm Island so it's a perfect viewing spot. Enjoy the show, and music. could hear no music but the news clips had the soundtrack being played. This show started at the end of a mini drama of some queen announcing the start of Atlantis. I can't believe we did this, I am just totally totally awestruck. There is a God who loves fireworks after all :) I just can't believe I was here to be a part of this. The last 3 days we were on the water constantly, testing, fixing, wiring, reloading. Then we had to go buy new wire and rewire a lot of it all over again. From yesterday morning starting around 7am, til midnight last night we were in the water relentlessly rewiring with new wire what had already been wired before due to testing issues we were encountering. All I can say is, we did it, in spite of running out of time and needing a miracle, I believe we were able to do it. I still can't believe I was here for this to help make this happen. Willie
CNN Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie5ear3bHUQ
Skynews story on the fireworks: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Showbiz-News/Dubai-Hotel-Fireworks-Kylie-Minogue-Charlize-Theron-Lily-Allen-And-Co-Attend-Lavish-Launch/Article/200811315157124?lpos=Showbiz_News_First_Home_Page_Feature_Teaser_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15157124_Dubai_Hotel_Fireworks%3A_Kylie_Minogue%2C_Charlize_Theron%2C_Lily_Allen_And_Co._Attend_Lavish_Launch
Skynews video clip (3 mins): http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Showbiz-News/Dubai-Hotel-Fireworks-Kylie-Minogue-Charlize-Theron-Lily-Allen-And-Co-Attend-Lavish-Launch/Article/200811315157124?lpos=Showbiz_News_First_Home_Page_Feature_Teaser_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15157124_Dubai_Hotel_Fireworks%3A_Kylie_Minogue%2C_Charlize_Theron%2C_Lily_Allen_And_Co._Attend_Lavish_Launch
Video taken from our Hotel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-SGaBbKyjI
I know Willie--he's done some HVAC work for me and I've helped him with marketing. Interesting guy.That CNN video is incredible, can't imagine being part of the show. The end is pretty bogus/corny, though.Todd
todd
I haven't had time to see the videos yet. I will have to look at them tonight.
This has been fun to watch and read Willie's experience in Dubai.
Rich
Hey, TOdd...Rich here.....the ending was cut off by the YOutube video. THe show was 8 mins. There is an entire other half no one has seen but me (because I was here and saw it). It's an incedible ending, unfortunately, no one will see it. I am getting the DVD and will make youtube posts of it once I get it but that c ould be weeks from now.If at first you don't succeed, try using a hammer next time...everything needs some extra persuasion from time to time. -ME
Nice show Willie, from what I saw on the clip Rich posted. Have friends in Dubai who I'm sure saw it. Thanks for sharing. Could you live over there?
Could I live over here? I have been for 12 days now, quite well, so Im content and would not mind it here. THe city is very nice and clean. Cars will run you over, though. Yikes.
Thnx for the show comments. We worked really hard. It wasn't perfect, we had humps and lumps along the way, but I am honored to have been part of something so unique. I never in my life thought I'd ever be doing something like this.
I saw you one post about Abu Dabi. You're working on a contract over here? What is it that you do?If at first you don't succeed, try using a hammer next time...everything needs some extra persuasion from time to time. -ME
It's a proposed project for a large ($500M, though I guess that is actually small) cultural center. It's still in competition phase, so it's not a real project yet. I'm involved in cost consulting for this project. I do have several colleagues over there in hotel development, etc. and have had some calls to come over. I would really like to see the place and am passing close by next week, but won't have time to stop in, maybe early next year I'll try to make a trip. I can even get some skiing in there ;-)
That's cool, the kind of work you do plus having friends/relatives over here also. You'll like it here. If I did, you will.
Yeah skiing should be fun, skiing in the middle of an otherwise arid desert like place. If at first you don't succeed, try using a hammer next time...everything needs some extra persuasion from time to time. -ME
I imagine you could make a lot more money there than in PA, no?Some of my colleagues are making 6 and half zeroes easily.
I dunno, man....I'm a home improvement guy. THere are a lot of high rises here and not many homes. I imagine competition is greater for that reason. I wouldn't mind it here, though. Except that there are no Christian churches anywhere to be fouind, that's a big disadvantage.If at first you don't succeed, try using a hammer next time...everything needs some extra persuasion from time to time. -ME
At least there are bars.You could probably assemble a congregation together pretty fast with the amount of ex-pats there.
Sure, but I just need to learn how to speak broken english first LOLIf at first you don't succeed, try using a hammer next time...everything needs some extra persuasion from time to time. -ME
Rich,
Very impressive indeed, tell Willie 'job well done'. I am a sucker for fireworks, and though I have read some criticism of the extravagance surrounding this show, all the power to them. Thanks for posting this, was very interesting to read. It is kind of funny that all of this is for a hotel, a cheesy one at that, though a very successful brand. Up until recently Atlantis in the Bahamas was operating at around a 98% vacancy rate with a rather high ADR. It has a great water park known as Aquaventure complete with dolphins et al, that is great for kids and adults alike.I will say that the "Goddess of Atlantis" is gorgeous. I hope I run into her in Bollywood ;-)http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.housefull.in/wallpapers/priyanka-chopra/priyanka_chopra-3.jpg&imgrefurl=http://bollywood-stars-wallpapers.blogspot.com/2008/08/priyanka-chopra.html&usg=__4W-FFq2A3fNEE_JClOmW2xrY4n8=&h=768&w=1024&sz=218&hl=en&start=3&um=1&tbnid=Ub3ob3Yw4zYt1M:&tbnh=113&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3DPriyanka%2BChopra%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN
Edited 11/21/2008 10:30 am ET by TGNY
TGNY
One more e-mail from Willie. I haven't even had time to reply or watch the videos. Maybe tonight. Rich
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/11/20/dubai.palm/index.html
Pic 1 shows a snapshot. Ooops, you can see a few gaps in this pic where some of the many cakes we had did not fire due to the wiring fiasco we were working thru. STill, it's like you can't tell.
Willie
Cool. Congrats to Willie.