RIVERS CASINO IS THE FIRST LEED GOLD CERTIFIED CASINO IN THE WORLD

Des Plaines Casino Awarded Gold Certification for Sustainable and Innovative Building

DES PLAINES, IL (March 15, 2012) –Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, the newest casino in the Chicagoland area, has been awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).  Rivers Casino is the first casino in the world to achieve the LEED Gold certification.

“We are proud to be recognized as a leader in sustainable development and we hope to set an example for the rest of the gaming and entertainment industries,” said Greg Carlin, CEO of Rivers Casino.  “It’s important to all of our team members that we are a good corporate citizen.”

“Achieving LEED Gold was challenging and expensive, but in the long run, the effort will improve the environment and reduce our operating costs,” said Neil Bluhm, Chairman, Midwest Gaming and Entertainment, LLC.

Rivers Casino opened in July 2011 and has become the premier entertainment and gaming destination in the Chicagoland area.  Rivers Casino was designed with a sustainability plan to achieve LEED certification for energy, lighting, water and material use, as well as incorporating a variety of other sustainable elements.  USGBC established LEED to encourage developers to design and construct buildings that protect and save precious resources, while also making good economic sense.

“This honor really belongs to our entire development team including Klai Juba Architects, Cleo Design, DMAC Architecture, Development Management Associates, our general contractor, Pepper Construction and the city of Des Plaines” said Carlin.

“The green building movement offers an unprecedented opportunity to respond to the most important challenges of our time, including global climate change, dependence on non-sustainable and expensive sources of energy and threats to human health,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, USGBC.  “The work of innovative building projects such as Rivers Casino is a fundamental driving force in the green building movement.”

LEED Gold Certification of Rivers Casino is based on a number of green design and construction features that positively impact both the project and the local community.  These features include:

• LED light fixtures in the parking garage and other areas throughout the Casino building save on energy usage and maintenance costs.
• 70 percent of the electrical energy consumed by the building over a two-year period is being offset with green power.
• Skylights and Clerestory windows add natural light for guest and employee comfort while saving on lighting costs.
• Low-flow plumbing fixtures and sensor-controlled faucets reduce water usage by 40 percent.
• Paint and adhesive materials with low levels of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) provide a healthier environment for workers and future inhabitants.
• Casino operations include a single-stream recycling plan, reducing the amount of waste delivered to landfills.
• 90 percent of all construction waste, over 70 million pounds, was recycled or utilized on site – avoiding the landfill.
• Interior living green walls provide better air quality and comfort.
• Occupant sensor-controlled lighting provides lighting when needed and saves energy at other times.
• Complimentary electric car charging stations are provided for customer use. Free valet parking is available to low-emissions and fuel-efficient vehicles.
• The project is a Brownfield redevelopment, which rehabilitated a previously developed site and reduces pressure on undeveloped land.
• The project managed site water runoff with a Surface Water Intake Protection Program (SWIPP) program during construction to prevent runoff damage to adjoining areas.
• The project stormwater treatment system removes 98.6 percent of total suspended solids from site runoff.
• Installation of concrete drives, landscaping, a multi-level parking structure and white roof reduce the urban heat island effect.
• Over 43 percent of the material for the project was sourced from within 500 miles of the project site, reducing carbon emissions from transportation of that material and supporting local economies.
• The site is close to public transportation to promote efficient travel.  Rivers Casino adjoins two Pace bus lines and is within one mile of both METRA and CTA rail stations.
• Bike racks are provided for workers and customers and preferred parking is provided for alternate fuel vehicles.
• Landscaping is largely made up of native and drought tolerant plant species, eliminating the need for irrigation and saving both potable water and hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Laflin Design Group, ltd. is proud to be part of the design team that helped Rivers Casino achieve LEED Gold Certification and become the first LEED certified casino in the world!

Check out the ECC website for progress shots of the Health Career Center construction. Click Here for the Construction Progress Slide Show!

Laflin Design Group is proud to be part of the Elgin Community College Health Careers Center design team.

It doesn’t take long to get a feel for exactly where you are in the soon-to-open Rivers Casino in Des Plaines.

Within minutes after getting my first look on July 1 on a walkthrough… I suggested it all had a very concentric feel. At the center is the Lotus Lounge, which is surrounded by the table games pits. The tables, in turn, are ringed by slots and video poker games, while on the outer rim are the amenities, including restaurants and the player rewards club booth.

With a by-invitation grand opening on July 17 and public opening on July 18, Rivers soon will be the first all-new casino to open in Illinois since Grand Victoria in Elgin launched in October 1994. It brings to the market a roomy, upscale facility with great sight lines, modern gaming equipment and some of the highest maximum bets in the country.

It all adds up to a cohesive design, one that should be full of excitement both for regular players and out-of-towners in using the nearby convention and hotel facilities.

Get the full Post-Tribune story with more details about the features of Rivers Casino.

Laflin Design Group is proud to be a part of the design team for Rivers Casino.

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We hope to see you at the Public Opening on July 18th!

Elgin Community College District 509 will receive sealed bids from qualified contractors for the Renner Drive Berm Improvements at the Elgin Community College Main Campus, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin, Illinois 60123.

The project base bid includes, but is not limited to, the following:

A. Tree preservation and erosion control fencing
B. Tree removal and grinding
C. Topsoil strip and stockpile
D. Grading
E. Telephone/data line relocation
F. Tree planting
G. Sod placement

Said bids will be received up to the hour of 2:00 PM CSDT on April 21, 2011 at Elgin Community College administration office at which time said bids will be publicly opened and read. A bid bond is required.

Bidding Documents will be available beginning at 10:00 AM April 6, 2011 at BHFX Elgin, 19 North Union Street, Elgin, Illinois 60123, (847) 742-2876. Documents may be viewed online free of charge at the BHFX Document Management Center. To obtain paper drawings, contact BHFX to request an order form. Cost of paper drawings are at the Bidder’s expense and are approximately $15.00. Documents are not returnable. A bid deposit is not required. Only registered plan holders purchasing documents from BHFX will be included on the plan holders list to receive addenda.

An optional pre-bid meeting will be held April 12, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. at Elgin Community College, University & Business Center, Room UBC 103.

LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. Learn more about LEED Certification.

Check out the Rivers Casino pursuit of Gold full story.

“Rivers Casino” is the name of the gambling facility scheduled to open in July in Des Plaines, Midwest Gaming and Entertainment officials announced today.

The name is a tribute to the nearby waterway and the “green” initiatives incorporated into the complex, they said.

The company also said it will hold its first job fair April 8 at the Rosemont Convention Center. The casino is expected to create 1,000 jobs — from dealers to restaurant personnel to management.

Laflin Design Group is proud to be a part of the design team for what may become the first LEED Certified casino facility in the country.

Get the full TribLocal story. And get the Daily Herald perspective.

In addition to private rooms, patients and their families looking for additional solitude can find it in the West Tower’s Healing Garden. “As a faith-based healing ministry, Condell Medical Center is committed to treating the whole person: body, mind and spirit. And studies have shown that spiritual care, in addition to medical care, improves patient healing,” says the Rev. Frederick Rajan, vice president of mission and spiritual care.

Laflin Design Group is proud to be part of the Advocate Condell Medical Center West Tower Expansion design team providing landscape design for the West Tower Expansion in addition to the Healing Garden.

Check out image of the new addition Advocate Condell Medical Center West Tower Expansion here! Slide #8 is our favorite!