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Things are looking up at Thunder Valley (just not as far) Work is rolling once more on the Thunder Valley Casino in Lincoln, near Sacramento.
A year ago, when Thunder Valley Casino, just up the road from Sacramento, shut down construction of its planned 24-story hotel, parking structure and theater complex, it seemed like part of the same old story—tight money, unemployment and more careful spenders—that had hit the whole state. On the heels of the shutdown of work on the Elk Grove mall, it seemed to signal a long winter of depression. Just more bad news. Casinos throughout California were shutting down projects and laying off staff. The Thunder Valley project had employed some 350 construction workers who would now be showing up on out-of-work lists. The gamblers were still coming, the tribe said, but they were not willing to lose quite as much. The United Auburn Indian Community, which owns the huge casino and resort complex in Lincoln, said it wanted to "step back and reassess the project," but that it would resume work in "three to six months."  Aaron Ungaretti, Local 68L; Chris Trombly, Local 9109; Mike Fowler, Local 9109.  Juan Espinoza, Local 971; Luis Ayala, Local 971.
But just last April, the tribe announced it was resuming work. The cranes cranked up again, and hundreds of building trades workers came back to what turned out to be a smaller project. The 24-story hotel had been reduced to 17; the nine-story parking lot was cut to seven. Today, on any given day, as many as 100 carpenters are back at work in a hopeful sign that, at least in the minds of the Auburn Indian Community, things are looking up. The $250 million project, back on track and moving toward keeping its original summer 2010 completion, is run by the Penta Building Group, out of Las Vegas. Subs include KHS&S, doing the metal stud and drywall work and exteriors; Raymond Interiors, in charge of metal stud and drywall work on the upper floors; McClone Construction, handling the concrete; and Premier Scaffolding.  Luis Gudino, Local 9109.  Vasyl Morar, Local 9109.  Raul Gambetta, Local 405; Leroy Dillhyon, Local 9109; Tongela Bremmian, Local 9109. Aside from the hotel and parking structure, the project includes a new spa, pool, new poker room, more retail space, a fitness center, and a 10,000 square foot entertainment center. It’s a pretty upscale operation, with luxury suites of up to 2,000 feet, so carpenters are looking forward to a chance to do some fine finish woodwork and detailed soffit work some time next spring. The project is also distinguished by a novel exterior construction technique, in which massive three- story panels were built by carpenters at an onsite yard, trucked over to the hotel and literally flown in by crane, where they were set in placed by the same work force.  Guy Martin, Local 9109.  Ray Imbro, Local 46.  Isaac Alvarez, Local 713.  Dale Harsy, Local 9109. Mariano Castro, Local 217.  Marco Martinez, Local 405; Angel Cabana, Local 9109; Eduardo Castillo, Local 9109. |
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