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“We’re just used to building fast,” says H Waldman, senior VP – projects. “Nobody builds as fast as they do out here. We’re built to handle larger commercial jobs, those that might be a stretch for other companies but for us it’s what we’re comfortable doing. They’ll say, ‘Hey, can you do the whole casino?’ Yeah, we can do that – it might be five casinos, restaurants, convention spaces, suites – that’s what we’re about.

“Schedule-wise, when these projects are happening, it doesn’t matter what the schedule says at the beginning, we know we’re not going to have as much time as they tell us,” Waldman continues. “So we need to push the other trades to complete their schedules. You almost have to manage the other trades like the electricians, the millwork, etc., because if you let them push you into a corner … you’re going to get swamped at the end.”

On the smarts side, experience and local knowledge play huge factors in Kelley Technologies’ success. Between them, Kelley, Schiff man and Waldman – a high school basketball star who played for UNLV’s 1991 Final Four team and NCAA tourney teams after transferring to Saint Louis – have lived in Vegas for more than 140 years combined. The designers and engineers among their staff of 24 are Vegas-savvy as well, and the tradespeople that Kelley Technologies has worked with over its long-standing presence in the community have become familiar relationships.

“I think our company has always been about building relationships with the client. We don’t go into anything thinking it’s a one-and-done construction project,” says Waldman. “In Vegas the casino market as a whole is pretty incestuous, you’ve got project managers, construction guys who work at the Bellagio one day and then Caesar’s the next. We build good relationships with them, because they’re sitting at the table as well.”

Plus, casino owners often have multiple properties, so a proven track record can lead to a job when the next ground-breaking is being planned.

“In some ways, Las Vegas is still a very small town,” says Schiffman. “A good reputation, and who you know, can help open a lot of doors.” Those doors open to display Kelley Technologies’ handiwork to thousands of tourists every day.