Perini boss inadvertently recalls CityCenter construction worker deaths

Here are a couple of side notes that followed Friday’s meeting between Perini Building Co. officials, subcontractor representatives and Gov. Jim Gibbons over a disputed $490 million in payments reportedly owed for CityCenter by MGM Mirage.

In his exuberance to place blame on MGM Mirage, Perini Chairman Ron Tutor could have used a better choice in words. He inadvertently alluded to the tragic deaths of six construction workers who died while working on CityCenter between February 2007 and May 2008.

"We have no problem litigating with MGM, we’re big boys," Tutor said. "They are just contriving a lot of reasons not to pay subs that killed themselves to get the job done."

Tutor said the casino operator should pay money owed to subcontractors while MGM Mirage and Perini fight their dispute out in court.

The construction worker deaths overshadowed CityCenter’s promise.

Members of building trade unions walked off the job for a day in June 2008 following the death of the last construction worker to protest safety concerns. CityCenter safety issues were discussed as part of congressional hearings in Washington, D.C., in June 2008 and October.

Meanwhile, Tutor was clear where he stood on handling another construction project for MGM Mirage.

“I wouldn’t do business with MGM again, even if they were the last owner on the planet,” Tutor said following the meeting with the governor. “You can print that.”

Perini is currently finishing work on the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on the Strip and McCarran International Airport’s Terminal 3 project.