A sure bet┬áAs the construction of Planet Hollywood Towers nears completion, Gerry Tan of Tutor-Saliba and Mark Waltrip of Westgate Resorts talk to Gay Sutton about the challenges and achievements in creating an iconic new building on the Las Vegas Strip. Come September this year the stunning new Planet Hollywood Towers will open its doors on the Las Vegas Strip.  Not only is it refreshingly new in design but it is the first major project to bring the timeshare concept to the heart of the entertainment capital of the world.

Not just the strip┬áIn a city where a certain amount of risk is expected, the unique-looking Juhl development beats the odds and adds a new dimension to Las VegasÔÇÖs downtown core, Gary Toushek discovers. Driving down the main streets of Las Vegas, you canÔÇÖt miss the Juhl condo project; it takes up almost an entire city block on Bonneville Avenue between 3rd and 4th Street and is quite different from any other building complex in the city.

Built to last┬áDespite the economic downturn, TolTest, Inc. posted record revenues in 2008ÔÇöeven above their own expectations. Ernesto Enrique gives Ruari McCallion an insight into how it was done. When TolTest, Inc., submitted a proposal to the US Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District Office, in 1992, it marked a turning point in the companyÔÇÖs development. Until then it had been solely involved in commercial operations; winning that multiyear, multimillion-dollar project as prime contractor led to a major change in focus.

From the bottom up┬áTesco Corporation says that it has ÔÇ£better ways to the bottomÔÇØÔÇöthe bottom of an oil well, that is. Now at the bottom of a recession, it is doing what a sustainable business should and taking steps to ensure it comes out on top, as John OÔÇÖHanlon reports. TESCO was founded more than 22 years ago in Calgary, Alberta, where it now maintains its production facility, though its headquarters are now in Houston, Texas.

A marquee player┬áSnyder Langston continues to build on its title as one of the largest and most trusted constructors and developers of commercial and industrial projects in the southwestern United StatesÔÇöone high-profile project at a time.  When Don Snyder and Bill Langston founded Snyder Langston in 1959, Southern CaliforniaÔÇöwith the exception of Los Angeles and its surrounding metropolitan areaÔÇöwas composed of small towns.

Simon Fraser University has been changing its campus to address the future growth areas for the school. Keith Regan learns how innovation has kept key projects moving forward Simon Fraser University (SFU) has a history of rapid growth and of being responsive to the changing needs of the students it serves. The university, named after explorer Simon Fraser, literally sprung up in 1965 when, after just 18 months of planning, the campus opened with 2,500 students.

Free to grow┬áThe South Carolina Department of Transportation has accelerated an ambitious highway development program to relieve congestion, and John OÔÇÖHanlon learns about progress on its concluding phase, the Palmetto Parkway/Interstate 520, from project manager Claude Ipock. South Carolina is the 11th fastest-growing state in the country, outpacing the national average in terms of major economic indicators.  Growth driven by tourism, business services and international trade has created pressures on the stateÔÇÖs transportation infrastructure.

In a new white paper, Delta Partners, a telecom advisory and investment firm, claims telecommunications operators in the MEA (Middle East and Africa) region could save $8 billion over the next five years by sharing their towers. ┬á┬á "Network sharing is not a recent trend, but the current economic environment, increasing competition and pressure on margins across M markets, is making operators consider it in order to achieve significant savings in capex and opex,ÔÇØ says Victor Font, managing partner.

Future impact┬áA massive $1.555 billion effort is under way to transform the nationÔÇÖs sixth-largest community college district, Gary Toushek learns. The San Diego Community College District (SDCCD) serves approximately 100,000 students each semester at three two-year college campusesÔÇöCity, Mesa and MiramarÔÇöand six continuing education campuses in San Diego.

Sticking to the plan┬áA forward-looking facilities master plan has helped guide the renovation and maintenance decisions of Tarrant County College District for the past five years and will do so for years into the future, Andrew Pelis discovers. Education is one of the cornerstones of society. Maintaining learning centers in the face of growing demand, increasing population and aging buildings can present real challenges to the community. Such has been the experience in one corner of Texas.