The Cordish Companies Announces New Executive Hires on Development Team to Oversee Live! Casino Expansion Projects in Maryland and Pennsylvania
Eileen F. Bertoni Named Director of Construction Estimating
Baltimore, MD – The Cordish Companies today announced two new executive hires to its corporate construction and development team – PETE CESARI has been named Vice President of Construction; and EILEEN F. BERTONI has been named Director of Construction Estimating. Cesari and Bertoni will join the development team overseeing the expansion projects at the company’s Maryland Live! Casino, in Hanover, MD, including the addition of a hotel and conference center; and the development of the new Live! Hotel & Casino in the Stadium District in Philadelphia, PA.
As Vice President of Construction, PETE CESARI brings more than 30 years of senior management experience in development, program and construction management to Cordish. Through his career, Mr. Cesari has been responsible for the design, construction, FFE and operational teams for high-profile, multi-billion dollar hospitality, gaming and entertainment projects around the world.
He most recently served as Executive Project Director for Venetian Macau Ltd. (Las Vegas Sands Corp), where he was responsible for the completion of the $3B Sands Cotai Central. Prior, Mr. Cesari worked for Suffolk Construction Company in Miami, FL, to oversee construction of the Met 2 Project, which included a 5-star JW Marriott Marquis hotel and a 47-story office building.
His extensive background includes roles as Vice President of Hospitality & Entertainment for Commerce Construction Co. in Las Vegas, NV, where he was responsible for a $2.5B master plan development program at the Silverton Hotel & Casino; Vice President of Design & Construction for Gaylord Entertainment in Nashville, TN, overseeing development of the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center, the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center, renovations at the Gaylord Opryland Nashville, and Grand Ole Opry Theatre; and Vice President of Operations for Bovis Construction Corp. in Orlando, Fl, where he worked in 20 different states and the Caribbean on a variety of hotel, resort, theater and themed construction projects, including Marriott Frenchman’s Reef, U.S.V.I.; Animal Kingdom Park Central; and Celebration Town Center.
Mr. Cesari began his career with Pepper Companies in Chicago, IL, and Orlando, FL, where he was a project manager for a number of retail and department store projects nationwide. He holds a B.S. in Architectural & Building Construction Engineering from the Milwaukee School of Engineering.
EILEEN F. BERTONI has more than 30 years of experience in the industry and has held senior management positions for a variety of construction groups, including a 10-year stint as Senior Estimator with Tishman Construction in Boston, MA; Las Vegas, NV; and Atlantic City, NJ. At Tishman, Ms. Bertoni worked on several high-profile projects within the hotel, gaming and resort market from commencement of pre-construction through all phases of construction and architectural disciplines; most notably, the Revel Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, NJ; and the MGM City Center in Las Vegas, NV.
In her new capacity at Cordish, Ms. Bertoni will be responsible for project estimating budgets and cost control on development projects from design development to final bid documents. She will be involved in all pre-construction activities, scheduling, value engineering, and trade procurement.
Ms. Bertoni is experienced in all aspects of the construction process with a particular focus on structural, site and concrete construction. Prior to Tishman, she performed cost accounting, project management and estimating for more than 15 years.
“We are pleased to welcome Pete and Eileen to the Cordish team at this very exciting time in our company’s growth,” said Joe Weinberg, CEO, The Cordish Companies Gaming Division. “Their combined experience in building premier hospitality, gaming and entertainment facilities will complement our growing team of industry experts committed to developing best-in-class brands and projects in every market where we do business.”
About Cordish
The Cordish Companies’ origins date back to 1910 and encompass four generations of privately-held, family ownership. During the past ten decades, The Cordish Companies has grown into a global leader in Real Estate Development, Gaming & Lodging and Entertainment Management. One of the largest and most respected developers in the world, The Cordish Companies has been awarded an unprecedented seven Urban Land Institute Awards for Excellence for public-private developments that are of unique significance to the cities in which they are located. Prime examples are The Cordish Companies’ prominent role in the redevelopment of Baltimore’s world famous Inner Harbor; Philadelphia, PA; Atlantic City, NJ; Charleston, SC; Houston, TX; Louisville, KY; Kansas City, MO and St. Louis, MO. In addition, The Cordish Companies has developed and operates multiple highly acclaimed entertainment destinations throughout the United States which welcome over 50 million visitors per year and are the most visited destinations in their respective regions. Over the generations, The Cordish Companies has remained true to the family’s core values of quality, entrepreneurial spirit, long-term personal relationships and integrity. As a testimony to the long-term vision of its family leadership, The Cordish Companies still owns and manages virtually every business it has created. www.cordish.com