Top Projects
by Scott Blair

Welcome to Southwest Contractor's annual Top Projects feature, which compiles the largest construction projects in Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico.

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The projects profiled on the following pages were chosen based on the criteria that they were at least 10 percent complete by the end of 2003, and weren't covered in last year's Top Projects feature. Each project is ranked by total construction costs, which in some cases have been estimated.

Construction of these 55 projects represents more than $4.7 billion of activity added to the economy of the Southwest region. Hospitality projects lead the way, followed closely by healthcare and highway/ infrastructure.

Nevada remains the most active state for mega-projects, with the $1 billion Wynn Las Vegas topping this year's list. Other hotels are responding with their own expansions, with Bellagio and Mandalay Bay pumping more than $600 million of construction into the Las Vegas economy. Next year's list should find Nevada with even more hospitality projects, as Caesars continues to expand and the Renaissance by Marriott is just getting started.

Arizona's TSA/ Cardinals Multipurpose Facility leads the Arizona Top Projects with the $355 million arena located in Glendale. Healthcare and bioscience are also huge catalysts for new building in the state. Perhaps as a reflection of how healthy the Arizona economy continues to be, several large private office developments make this year's list. Rounding out the list are highway and airport projects.

New Mexico saw a lot more private work this year over last, with several Indian communities leading the way with large resort and casino projects. The Mescalaro Apache Tribe's Inn of the Mountain Gods resort tops the state's list this year, with a $100 million ground-up rebuild of the popular mountain resort, and the Laguna Pueblo's Route 66 Casino also placed among the Top Projects. The public sector in New Mexico continued to build strong, with justice facilities, government buildings and schools making this year's list.

Data for this year's list was compiled from McGraw-Hill Construction Dodge, surveys, and extensive research to confirm valuation and statistics. While we strive to search out every major project in the region, some projects may have been missed or were impossible to confirm due to confidentiality or other issues.

>Top Projects List