The earth is moving a few miles north of Albuquerque, NM. The southwest division of McCarthy Building Companies has started work on a new hotel and conference center for the Pueblo of Sandia.

The approximately 460,000-sq.-ft. (42,735 sq m) project includes restaurants, 228 guest rooms and about 60,000 sq. ft. (5,574 sq m) of convention and meeting space. The style of the hotel will reflect that of the adjacent Sandia Casino, which also was built by McCarthy, with exposed timbers and quarried New Mexico limestone. The hotel is expected to open in August 2005.

“We are pleased to have an opportunity to continue our relationship with the Sandia community and be part of a dynamic project team. We have set an aggressive construction schedule, and we look forward to meeting that challenge,” said project director Jim Brandt.

The hotel will be situated behind the casino and will provide for unobstructed views of the nearby Sandia Mountains, which hold tremendous spiritual significance for the Pueblo.

“This will be a very attractive hotel and conference center that will be a great complement to the existing casino and amphitheater,” Brandt added.

The hotel is the second phase of development for the Pueblo and represents the tribe’s plans to diversify its economy. Revenue from the hotel and conference center will be used to support the community’s education, health care, housing and law enforcement programs.

“The Pueblo has reached an exciting next step in our efforts to improve services to our community and all tribal members,” Pueblo of Sandia Gov. Stuwart Piasano said. “We’re pleased that McCarthy will continue on this journey with us.”

The project team includes Albuquerque-based Fanning Bard Tatum Architects with Las Vegas-based Marnell Architecture, and 3D International as construction manager.

McCarthy’s southwest division will celebrate is 25th anniversary this summer. Headquartered in Tempe, AZ, the division operates in Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico.

Other McCarthy projects in the Albuquerque area include various phases of construction and renovation of the Presbyterian Hospital.

McCarthy is the nation’s 16th largest domestic general contractor. With 140 years of experience, McCarthy offers general contracting, construction management and design/build services for healthcare, hospitality, gaming, entertainment, retail, educational, laboratory, biotechnical, microelectronic and industrial facilities; office buildings, parking structures; tenant interiors; mixed-use, multifamily residential; and bridges and highways.

In addition to Tempe, McCarthy has offices in Las Vegas; Newport Beach, Sacramento, and San Francisco, CA; St. Louis, MO; and Dallas, TX.

For more information on McCarthy Building Companies, visit www.mccarthy.com.

For more information on the Pueblo, visit www.pueblosandia.nsn.us.

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