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Morongo Casino Resort Topped Off

MORONGO INDIAN RESERVATION, California – (Press Release) -- The Morongo Band of Mission Indians and Perini Building Company today celebrate the topping-out of the new Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa with the hoisting of the highest piece of structural steel on to the resort's rooftop. Featuring four-star suites and rooms, multiple restaurant facilities, a nightclub, spa, ballrooms, convention facilities, retail space and a pool oasis, the 600,000+ square-foot hotel and casino is the largest economic development project undertaken by the tribe in its history.

According to Morongo tribal chairman Maurice Lyons, the project exterior is now 80 percent complete.

"Our world-class casino, resort and spa is scheduled to open in November and will be the premier recreational gaming destination on the West Coast," said Lyons. "It is a beautiful and unique design inspired by the forces of nature. We believe the new resort will bring a piece of paradise to the desert."

Located 90 minutes east of Los Angeles and 20 minutes west of Palm Springs between the scenic San Gorgonio and San Jacinto mountain ranges, the destination resort will offer visitors a full range of entertainment and recreational options. Lush gardens, sandy beaches and extensive landscaping are among the design features of the property.

"With seven months of construction ahead of us, our crew will begin work on finer details of the 44-acre project," said Perini Building Company chairman Dick Rizzo. "When complete, the resort will set a new standard for tribal casinos and gaming in California."

Expected to generate more than $2.8 billion in new jobs and economic benefits within the next five years, the Morongo tribe is the largest private sector employer in the Pass Area and provides economic stability to the reservation and surrounding communities of the Inland Empire.

"As a prominent partner of the community and part of California's tribal gaming industry, the Morongo Band of Mission Indians is a major contributor to the seventh largest economy in the world," said Riverside County Supervisor Marion Ashley. "The new casino, resort and spa will serve as an economic driver for the county with the creation of more than 4,000 jobs and $1.4 billion in new goods and services purchased over the next five years."

The current facility, Casino Morongo, hosts more than 1.5 million visitors annually. With the opening of Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa scheduled for fall 2004, patrons will soon enjoy an expansive 148,000 square foot state-of-the- art casino housing a complete selection of slot machines and table games. Rooms for bingo and poker will also be featured.

"With a seasoned Perini project team, 1,000 dedicated craftspeople and precision planning, the project remains on schedule," said Tom Linton, Morongo's director of planning and economic development who is overseeing the project together with the tribal council. "Combining the work of Perini with the tribe's building representative, S&J Enterprise, we have been able to successfully maintain momentum while adhering to our budget."

Construction unions were among the first to endorse and support Indian self-reliance during Propositions 5 and 1A. Of the 20 major subcontractors working on the project, 19 are union shops.

Subcontractors include Cattrac, S.P. Pazargad, Valley Crest, Surina, Bomel, Fontana, SME, ASI, KHS&S, Alliance, D&HW Management, Cookson, Walters & Wolf, Pro-Bel, RDC, OTIS, University Marelich and Bergelectric.

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