Designed by Creative Director Brady Hackmeister and Junior Graphic Designer Stephanie Suominen, the project now called "Eldora," came to life at the end of the paintbrush of artist Kai Lava in Las Vegas.
Eldora's name translates from Spanish to mean "covered in gold," which has the obvious tie to the Golden Knights but also represents its home of Las Vegas.
"We spent some time going through some ideas, but ultimately we wanted to have the name that correlated to the design of the statue," Hackmeister said. "We wanted to bring the glitz and glamor of Las Vegas to the elephant, and play up our gold jersey along with bringing up different elements to compliment the design."
Eldora is adorned with many elements that have significance to the organization. Incorporated into the statue is a motto of the Golden Knights reading: "Always Advance, Never Retreat." The quote originated from the organization but pertains to the strength and nobleness that these magnificent animals also possess.
The ornate details of the statue feature the logos of each team in the Foley Entertainment Group family including the Vegas Golden Knights, Henderson Silver Knights and Vegas Knight Hawks.
"We wanted to capture the essence of other teams, and combine them to show that we have strength and resilience," said Suominen. "In the same way that we want to save and protect the elephants, we want to show the strength and the beauty of them."
Located at Resorts World, the core mission of the Elephant Parade is to raise awareness and educate people on the state of elephant welfare. Having the exhibition at one of Las Vegas' newest properties allows the initiative to garner the attention that it needs. Through their efforts they hope to encourage people to be catalysts in spreading awareness.
The Golden Knights were one of many participants with ties to Las Vegas who added their artwork to the initiative. Global celebrities like Katy Perry, Celine Dion and Tiesto as well as other sports organizations like the Las Vegas Raiders and the UFC are also featured in the Elephant Parade.
In addition to raising awareness, each statue in the exhibition will be put up for auction with the proceeds benefiting programs that support the welfare of elephants worldwide.
Fans can visit Eldora at Resorts World through Labor Day Weekend free of cost. To learn more about the Elephant Parade and its efforts for elephant conservation and welfare fans can visit
elephantparade.com
.
