What happens in Vegas … is obviously design-build this month. DATELINE has a lot invested in this hot little strip of land this year with our climax coming this fall at the 2008 Design-Build Conference and Expo. This issue, in part, is your 2008 Las Vegas introduction.
What better way to kick off this issue than with a hard-hitting feature that goes in the trenches of casino design and construction in perhaps the fastest growing hospitality Mecca in the world.
In “Time is (Lots of) Money,” writer Fred Minnick talks with some of the top names in casino design and construction. In addition, we present an interview with DeRuyter Butler, vice president of architecture for Wynn Las Vegas. More than anything, design-build’s endurance shines in one of the most challenging building environments in the country.
This, of course, serves as a prelude to our detailed information about the 2008 Design-Build Conference & Expo happening Nov. 3-5 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. It is steadily growing into one of the biggest DBIA conferences to date. Get the lowdown on room rates, transportation, education schedules and other events around which you should plan your trip to the Nevada desert. Look closely at the registration cut-off dates to ensure you get the best price for the most comprehensive design-build event in the country.
As we touch on the educational aspects of this year’s conference, we also present a close examination of the permitting process in “May I…?” with some tips about how to navigate this sometimes confusing and involved process. Don’t miss our design-build regional snapshot in “Region Review” as well.
In addition, this month’s book selections are perfect for your summer reading. The titles featured this month represent just a few of the dozens available at www.dbia.org in our DBIA Summer Book Sale.
And you can kick off your trip through this issue with board member Bob Nartonis’ look at leadership and design-build. DATELINE is loaded this month. But please keep your ideas and thoughts coming about what you would like to see in future pages of the journal. Please contact me at cprawdzik@dbia.org with your requests and suggestions.
Christopher Prawdzik
Editor, Design-Build DATELINE