“So if we had a crew solely dedicated to room rough-in and they got more and more efficient with that activity, it translates into improved safety as well as becoming very proficient and picking up speed as you go.”įor example, Phase 1 started with batches of three rooms per week. “With 516 rooms being essentially repetitive, that continuous improvement mindset came into play,” O’Rourke says. “We had a lot of lesson-learned meetings, and we really tried to cultivate an atmosphere where there are no dumb ideas.” “What made the project so successful was that the entire team took a learning approach and wanting to work together to improve,” says Mike O’Rourke, project manager at Granger Construction. By opening early, the project owner generated about $17 million in additional revenue. Despite the challenges of working within an active resort, the team reached substantial completion approximately seven months ahead of schedule. That strategy also helped Phase 3 complete ahead of schedule.

By implementing lessons learned from work completed in Phase 1, the team improved flow, sequencing and quality for Phase 2, delivering ahead of schedule. The construction team on the $80-million Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort Guest Room Renovation bet that its employees and partners would improve as the project progressed-and they came up big.

BEST PROJECT Submitted By: Granger Construction Owner: Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan Lead Designer: Simpson Associates PC General Contractor: Granger Construction Subcontractors: Cusack’s Masonry Restoration Detroit Spectrum Painters Granger Construction Williams-Scotsman Windemuller Electric Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort Guest Room Renovation Mount Pleasant, Mich.

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