Case Study: Gaylord Texan Hotel and Convention Center achieves reliable very-early smoke detection for its 210-ft glass-domed atrium with Xtralis VESDA VLP

Gaylord Texan Hotel and Convention Center - Customer Case Study

The Gaylord Texan Hotel and Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas, needed reliable smoke detection for its 87,143 sq. ft. central atrium beneath a 210 ft glass domed ceiling. The extreme height, large open volume, strong ventilation and temperature-driven stratification made conventional ceiling detectors unreliable, so very early detection was required to protect guests and ensure business continuity.

Xtralis designed a performance-based solution using six VESDA VLP aspirating detectors, supported by CFD modeling and on-site smoke tests to optimize sampling locations. The combined simulations and tests showed the VESDA system provided very early detection in this challenging, high-ceiling environment (detecting simulated 5 MW fires within the 5‑minute requirement under stratified conditions), with smoke-test results confirming the predicted alarm sequence and effective coverage.

Gaylord Texan Hotel and Convention Center