Korellis Roofing is one of the most prolific construction companies in the Region. Throughout their decades of business, they’ve worked on steel mills, churches, schools, hospitals, office buildings, and much more. It was their extensive experience that earned them the call to work on their biggest project to date – Gary, Indiana’s $300 million Hard Rock Casino.
“This is the largest and most complex project that Korellis has ever had,” said Juli Tattersall, Project Manager at Korellis Roofing. “This is a way of showing how far we’ve come and how much we’ve grown, just by seeing all of our experienced workers and how they’re progressing through the work.”
Construction on the casino, which is replacing the Majestic Star, started in January of this year. Slot machines, table games, a sportsbook, restaurants, and a concert venue are all set to fill about 200,000 square-foot of space. It is an ambitious development, and Korellis is employing diverse materials, trades, techniques, and craftsmen to get the job done.
“The casino presented us with an aggressive schedule, and I think we’ve done an amazing job staying on track,” Tattersall said. “We’re here to satisfy the customer’s needs. I’m very proud of my team, and the project leaders have been earning compliments left and right.”
One of those leaders is Larry Millefoglie, who leads the sheet metal work being done at the Hard Rock Casino. His trade requires a different set of skills than traditional roofing work, and he noted how rare it can be to employ them on a project of this scale.
“I’ve done this work for 27 years, and Korellis has put a lot of trust in me here,” Millefoglie said. “Just the name Hard Rock is a big thing to put on a resume. For Korellis to give me this opportunity? I’m loving it, and they’ve given me everything I need to make sure I’m successful.”
Hard Rock is an iconic brand in the U.S., and the completed casino is going to be a daily landmark for commuters traveling I-80/94.
“Seeing the end result is the biggest satisfaction of the trade that I’m in,” Millefoglie said. “I’m looking forward to bragging to my family a bit about how I ran the job, helped sell the job, and laid it out. It’s a big legacy for me to leave behind, something that people will know me for.”
Roofing Foreman Leo Artuso is another veteran at Korellis, having joined the company back in 2005. He handles the day-to-day leadership on the job site.
“When we do get it all completed and it looks as good as we know it will, that’s going to be something to be very proud of,” he said. “It’s been a great experience, we’re fortunate that Korellis got the project and that we get to be the guys doing it.”
The Hard Rock Casino is currently set to open in 2021. To learn more about Korellis Roofing, visit them at korellis.com.
