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Trades on track with fast-track casino

Date Posted: December 8 2006

PETOSKEY - One of the largest construction projects in this area's recent history is moving along, very quickly, in the form of a new $140 million casino for the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians.

About 250 Hardhats are currently working on the project, installing drywall, electrical, mechanical and doing some painting, according to Ken Lawless, vice president/chief operating officer for construction manager Clark Construction.

"We're moving along well and my thoughts right now are about the schedule, and meeting the owner's deadline," Lawless said. "We're getting a lot done in a 15-month timeline."

Work began in March on the new 290,000 square-foot casino, off of Lears Rd. via U.S. 131, which will replace the tribe's nearby Victories Casino. The project is expected to wrap up next June.

The two-level casino complex will include a gaming floor with 1,500 slot machines, a nightclub, several restaurants, a deli, and administrative offices. The project is made even more complex with the construction of a wastewater treatment plant on site, as well as a water tower. A hotel and parking deck are planned for future construction.

Tribal Chairman Frank Ettawageshik told the Petoskey News-Review that "we've been really careful to makes sure we have as (little) as we can as far as impact on the property." The tribe hopes to implement as many Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards into the complex as possible.

Lawless said the only complication that implementing the LEED characteristics into the building process is an increase in paperwork.

The casino complex is being constructed under a project labor agreement, which Lawless said is "working very well. Everyone from labor, to our contractors to the Little Traverse Bay Band is working together as a team. Their attitude has been not how you can't get it done, but how do we overcome obstacles to get it done. And their work has been excellent."

Traverse City IBEW Local 498 Business Manager Jeff Bush said the PLA doesn't require the exclusive use of union trades, but does require the payment of union wage rates and sets a consistent apprentice ratio of no more than 25 percent. As a result, there is a small nonunion presence on the job. Also as part of the PLA, the building trades also had a job fair for the tribe, which resulted in the employment of three apprentice electricians on the job, and more from other trades.

"This casino has been a great employer for us," Bush said, "We have about 50 of our people out there, and that's at a time when work has been really slow around here."

BURYING CONDUIT leading to the new Odawa Indian casino in Petoskey are (l-r) Dan Spinner and Ed Ware of IBEW Local 498 and Perceptive Electric. Operating the excavator is John Morrow of Operating Engineers Local 324.
Photos by Randall Goss
SETTING UP SNOWMELT tubing under a walkway at the new casino are (l-r) Steve Pulda and Jim Brado of Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 85.