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ilani Casino Convention Expansion adds approximately 25,000-square-feet to the existing casino convention center. The space provides added meeting spaces, back-of-house amenities, lower-level offices, a smoking lounge, and a tasteful outdoor terrace. Situated on the Northeast side of the casino, expansive views of wetlands, forests and mountain peaks add a new element to the ilani experience.
Scopes: Drywall, Exterior Framing, Insulation, Exterior Sheathing, Air/Weather Barrier, Doors/Frames/Hardware.
As part of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe’s ever-evolving story, the expansion was an important piece of the puzzle to continue to draw high profile events to the venue. As for the construction itself, the exterior of the building features bypass framing and the revolutionary DensElement barrier system. With varying heights, fastening methods, and deflection criteria, WPI completed the exterior framing with excellent production rates. The DensElement system proved to be a worthwhile value-engineering decision, with schedule benefits and seamless integration with the insulated metal panel system installed by others.
Once WPI mobilized on site, we didn’t slow down. Leading the charge during an accelerated schedule from start to finish, the construction team succeeded in turning over the project in time for the ilani BrewFest in February 2024. Getting ahead on the exterior was critical to unlocking the success of the interior buildout. We welcomed many challenges along the way. As always, we focused intently on safety, with buy-in from the general contractor. Pre-planning for lift safety and working at heights were paramount to our efforts.
Relatedly, access to several elevated areas above the terrace and clerestory was tricky and required careful phasing, coordination with other trades, and adherence to best practices. The canopy soffit at the clerestory posed a constructability challenge additional to the access concerns. With a careful eye on QC, this soffit becomes one the more beautiful architectural elements of the building’s exterior. Bringing it all together required careful layout, coordination and integration of our systems with the expansion joints at the building tie-in. In summation, we safely got ahead of schedule, played a crucial role in getting the building dried-in prior to inclement weather, and provided a flawless transition from the existing event space to the new expansion.
