Before Virginia Tech and Kansas University took the field on January 3 for Dolphin Stadium's Orange Bowl game, corporate V.I.P.s and sponsors celebrated overhead on the stadium's recently renovated Club Level 200. To show appreciation for their partnership throughout the festival season, the Orange Bowl Committee teamed up with Everlast Productions to create Planet Orange: Football of the Future.
"When we initially visited the newly remodeled club level at Dolphins Stadium, the first thing we noticed were the breathtaking floor-to-ceiling windows, which had a unmistakable futuristic feel," said Kim Poplawski, manager of events for the committee. "Inspired by the windows, we decided to run with the futuristic theme."
The event space was outlined with spandex wave walls from
that were branded with gobos of the Bank of America logo and Obie, the bowl mascot. In the space created by the walls, So Cool Events and Sculptware joined forces to create seating areas of stainless-steel and Lucite chairs and spandex-covered tables for the more than 700 guests. Additional decor elements included a 10- by 7-foot water wall by Prina that projected a combination of themed graphics and event logos. The overall color scheme was kept simple, with orange and white accented by Florida oranges.
Boston Culinary Group provided an array of different food stations, including a chef's table with assorted fruit and cheeses, a raw and sautéed seafood bar, and an Asian fusion station, all of which were presented on modular, LED-lit vertical and round buffet setups provided by Occasions Caterers.
The afternoon's entertainment also kept to the event's futuristic theme. A laser fog twirler from Shredder Entertainment performed alongside DJ B-Side, twirling a laser and fog-shooting baton to the beat of digitally enhanced musical classics.
