The Seminole Tribe of Florida wanted to get into development. Stiles Construction was looking for access to federal work. Fate, or perhaps hard work, brought them together in a 51/49 JV. (Look for a Disney moviechronicling the romance.)

Stiles director of public projects David Lowery tells usthe tribe wanted to expand into other businesses, including development and construction, to buildcommercial and residential projects on its own land and other places. Stiles will work with subcontractors and suppliers owned by tribal members to pass along its expertise. Meanwhile, Stiles gainsaccess to provide construction services to other Native American tribes and pursue federal 8(a) set-aside contracting work accessible only to federally recognized groups.

The JV's first project is the $25M renovation of the 140k SF Seminole Classic Casino in Hollywood, the first Native American gaming venue in the country, seen here during its grand re-opening this month. The work included a complete transformation of the building's exterior and interior, plus upgrades to the parking lot and landscaping. Other JV projects in the pipeline include the Brighton Public Safety Complex and the new Noodle Bar at Jubao Palace at the Hard Rock Seminole Hotel & Casino.