“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.