Local developers to monitor probe

By Liz Benston (contact)

Friday, Oct. 31, 2003 | 11:29 a.m.

Local builders and developers said Thursday they will monitor the investigation into the collapse of a parking garage at the Tropicana in Atlantic City to find out how and why it happened.

"As a builder and designer of garages, I'm sure we're going to want to find out what the cause was," said Mitchell Trageton, vice president of architecture for Marnell Corrao Associates of Las Vegas. Marnell Corrao is designing certain aspects of the upcoming Wynn Las Vegas megaresort and has served as the designer and general contractor for several other major resorts, including the Mirage, Treasure Island and Bellagio.

Four people were killed in the Atlantic City collapse.

A similar, though less serious, accident happened four years ago during construction of the Suncoast at Alta Drive and Rampart Avenue. Seven workers were injured when an entire floor collapsed as they poured concrete.

"That was our last accident of any large significance involving concrete work that I can recollect," said Steve Holloway, executive vice president of the Associated General Contractors of Las Vegas, the local branch of a national trade group. "It has happened in Las Vegas, but a lot has been done since then to try to ensure that those types of accidents don't happen."

After the Suncoast incident, contractors, the Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Enforcement Section, insurance companies and the AGC chapter have cooperated on safety consulting and education above the industry standard, Holloway said.

"It has been a combined effort," Holloway said.

Had the Tropicana accident happened in Las Vegas, said David Vail, director of safety for Perini Building Co.'s western division, "it would have to be a catastrophic event."

The Boston-area company has built several landmarks in Las Vegas, including the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, the Palms Hotel and Paris Las Vegas.

As land becomes scarce, major parking structures are becoming the norm with most casino projects, Trageton said.

The design and the construction of a garage are critical to ensuring the safety of the structure, he said.

Parking garages are typically built using pre-cast concrete columns that are formed off site or columns that are poured at the site, he said. The columns support the structure, while vertical walls keep the structure from moving laterally, he said. The method used may depend on the cost of the project, as pouring columns can take longer, he said.

Building inspectors are typically assigned to oversee major resort projects to make sure each phase of the project is inspected and approved as it moves along, he said.

Parking garages are designed to handle the weight of incremental stories as they are built upward, Vail said.

M.J. Dean Construction Inc. sends its workers to safety classes and trains on-site workers in safety measures, Director of Operations Bill Moore said.

The Las Vegas company is building two floors atop the parking garage at the Hard Rock for an expected completion in January. It is also building a new hotel tower at Mandalay Bay and has built high rises for Turnberry Associates and Circus Circus.

Sun reporter

Launce Rake contributed to this story.