Low?s Palace Hotel and Casino Resort projects completed

According to owner Robert Low, the total estimated cost of his recently completed Palace Hotel and Casino Resort project in Biloxi, Miss., is about $80 million.

In April 1997, the company contracted for a range of projects on the site, according to Jack Climer, director of development for Killian Construction Company.

Those projects included renovation of the existing casino and construction of a sea wall, a marina, a three-story parking garage (later modified to five stories), outdoor entertainment facilities on a barge and, finally, a $43 million, 11-story luxury hotel.

The projects presented a number of challenges, Climer said, including overcoming the obstacle of high tides in the Gulf of Mexico.

With the services of a pile contractor, who used a trademark piling system called DeWaal Pile System, Killian was able to save time and money installing the piling system needed to erect the multilevel parking facility. The job was done in much less time than with conventional systems.

The project also attached a special events barge to the floating casino and added a decorative roof to make the barge usable for boxing matches, concerts and special food service events, Climer said.

Work on the parking area was completed in May 1998.

In June of that year, construction began on the first phase of the hotel, which contains 236 rooms and suites, but it was interrupted by Hurricane George. Builders installed a new sea wall to reclaim about an acre of land from the Gulf of Mexico to allow facilities to be enlarged.

An outside pool and spa area was increased to include a volleyball court, and numerous cabanas were added to provide shade for visitors, Climer said.

The project was designed by Thalden Entertainment Architects, which has offices in St. Louis and Las Vegas.