Press Release: Perini Building Co.
November 16, 2001
LAS VEGAS, NV -- Perini Building Co., a division of Perini Corp. (AMEX:PCR) delivers its second major project in
less than two months.
The company turned over the $265 million Palms Casino Resort one month ahead of schedule and on budget. The project
was originally slated for a December opening, but according to Pat Hubbs, project manager for Perini Building Co.,
``Through planning and extensive teamwork we were able to slice about 30 days off the completion date.''
Planning the Palms started 19 months before construction. Following the creation of the design concept by The Jerde
Partnership International, the Maloof family, KGA Architecture, Jerde, and Perini spent this time finalizing design,
construction feasibility, budgets and scheduling/logistics.
After construction started, the meetings continued at least once per week for three years. KGA Architecture is
the executive architect for the Palms Casino Hotel. The Jerde Partnership International is the master planner and
design architect for the Palms.
Perini was awarded the $160 million construction contract by the Maloof family. The Maloof Companies own and operate
a diversified group of business ventures including hotels, casinos, banking, food and beverage, transportation,
as well as the NBA Sacramento Kings. George Maloof heads the hotel division of the company.
The Palms is a departure from the themed resorts that line the strip. The non-themed resort is upscale and designed
to cater to both tourists and Las Vegas residents. The casino is constructed as a 360-degree structure. The west
end of the casino provides access to informal entertainment including the food court and movie theaters.
The entrance also has a childcare center. Opposite this atmosphere, the east end of the casino offers guests Rain,
a trendy nightclub, NINE and Little Buddha for formal dining.
Jerde's design pays attention to subtle details, including a variety of wall and ceiling elevations, colors, curves,
stainless steel facades, light fixtures, wood beams, glimpses of exposed ceiling, and textured fabrics. Even the
flooring is intricately designed with various colored curved wood, marble, tile, terrazzo and carpet.
Throughout the casino and adjoining restaurants design elements evolve into a slightly different form, texture
or dimension about every six to eight feet.
To achieve these subtle design changes, Perini Building Co. estimates that over 1,000 sets of detailed shop drawings
were needed to coordinate the myriad of materials used in construction.
With the exception of the hotel tower, the resort is designed as a series of compound radiuses, oblongs, ellipses
and offset shapes. This presented the challenge of figuring out the correct dimensions to bend the casino's metal
frame and the most effective way to bend and score enough drywall to accommodate the 95,000-sq. ft. casino's curved
walls.
Already a recognizable Las Vegas landmark, the sleek hotel tower has 16 rooms per floor. Floors with high-roller
suites have even fewer, with the rooms being more spacious. The most complex phase of the tower was enclosing the
top eight floors in glass. It took approximately 300 pieces of glass 11' tall by 5' to accomplish this.
The top of the tower is a series of 16`` x 16'' steel tubes in the shape of a compound radius. The majority of
the glass was placed by hand from crews working from scaffolding 400 feet above ground.
Enclosed in wall-to-wall glass are Alize, a French restaurant, and Ghostbar. Extending over the Las Vegas skyline,
Ghostbar's outdoor balcony provides an unobstructed view of the city.
Rain, the Palm's three-story nightclub, was the most complex portion to build. Designed by The Nine Group, the
club's entryway is a neon lit tunnel about 60 ft. long. Upon entering, it takes a minute to focus on all of the
visual elements.
Dominant among the club's effects is the rain curtain (falling water) that is designed to open, close and fall
with enough velocity to hide who or what is on stage. Directly facing the stage is a dance floor surrounded by
a moat. The moat is lined with thousands of black agates approximately 1`` x 1'' -- each set in place by hand.
Hanging above the dance floor are what Perini calls metal trusses, but look more like space ships suspended in
air. The trusses hang by motorized metal cables that allow the operator to lower or raise them. Both trusses are
equipped with lights and other special effects; the larger of the two has six arms that can move independently
of one another.
The Palms Casino Resort covers 22.5 acres of the 32-acre site it sits on and is now the city's tallest hotel, towering
400 ft. high. The hotel has 455 oversized guest rooms and suites.
Other structures include a multi-use entertainment venue, 14 theaters and an IMAX theater, seven restaurants, a
food court, a 10,000 sq. ft. banquet and conference facility, an 18,000 sq. ft. spa and salon that overlook a resort-style
swimming pool, and a 95,000 sq. ft. casino with 2,200 slot machines.
About Perini Corp.
Perini Corp. and its companies (Perini Building Co., Perini Civil and Perini Management Services Inc.) provide
general contracting, including building and civil construction, construction management and design-build services
to private clients and public agencies in the United States and selected overseas locations.
Perini Building Co. is known for its construction expertise in hospitality and gaming, corrections, health care,
education, and sports and entertainment. Perini Building Co. consistently ranks among the largest contractors in
the country and is the nation's largest builder of hotels and casinos.
For more information on Perini, visit: www.perini.com.
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Contact:
Papagalos Strategic Communications
Ann Papagalos, 602/279-2934
ann@papagalos.com