With offices in seven states, Yates has worked on some of the most significant casino projects in the nation, including the landmark Borgata Hotel, Casino and Spa in Atlantic City, the Pearl River Resort in Philadelphia, Mississippi and the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi.

"Yates, along with our partner, Paric, is very excited about the upcoming River City project with Pinnacle," said William Yates, President of W. G. Yates & Sons Construction Co. "We look forward to being a part of such a significant project."

Paric, based in O'Fallon, Missouri, is one of the largest privately held companies in St. Louis. Paric is a leading general contractor, construction manager and design-build firm in the St. Louis region. The company specializes in hospitality and institutional facilities, office/commercial interiors, historic renovations and the construction of healthcare facilities, senior living, commercial buildings and environmental systems.

"Paric is pleased to team with Yates on this wonderful project, a project that will benefit the entire St. Louis area," said P. Joseph McKee, Paric's President and Chief Executive Officer.

With the substantial environmental cleanup on the Lemay site now complete, construction of River City is expected to move rapidly from this point. The project is expected to create approximately 600 union construction jobs, more than 1,000 permanent jobs and hundreds of ancillary service jobs for the region.

"Our approach to this selection was based on our high standards for quality and ability to execute a project of this magnitude in a timely fashion. After a deliberate process, we found Yates/Paric to be an excellent mix of deep casino resort experience and significant local expertise. We are pleased to have them on board," said Daniel R. Lee, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Pinnacle Entertainment. "With Yates/Paric, we will now move ahead to the next phase of construction on this exciting new project."

The construction contract provides a guaranteed maximum price for the cost of the building itself of $149 million, which is approximately 40 percent of the total project cost of $375 million. The remainder of the project costs include furniture, gaming equipment, the hiring and training of employees, marketing costs associated with the opening, site preparation, foundations and land costs, and the cost of the entrance road, among other things. The construction contract calls for completion of the building in 18 months, with the anticipated opening of the casino soon thereafter.

About River City Casino

The first phase of the River City project, estimated to cost $375 million, is planned to include a 90,000-square-foot casino, several restaurants, a multi-use community center along with athletic fields, environmental remediation of the site (already complete) and construction of a new roadway connector from I-55 to the South Broadway corridor. Located approximately ten miles south of downtown St. Louis in the community of Lemay, River City is scheduled to open near the end of 2009, pending final approval from the Missouri Gaming Commission. River City will be situated on approximately 80 acres of land leased from the St. Louis County Port Authority.

Pinnacle Entertainment was selected for two St. Louis-area projects in early 2004 by the City and County of St. Louis, and then by the Missouri Gaming Commission in competitive bid processes that included applications from several gaming companies. The first St. Louis-area project for the company, Lumiere Place, opened in December 2007.

About Paric Corporation

Paric pairs design/build services with construction management and negotiated general construction to offer its "next-level" experience. When Paric partners with a client, Paric sets the bar higher than expected to ensure complete client satisfaction. The commercial, institutional, and industrial contractor manages construction projects ranging from universities and banks to warehouses and trade centers. Founded in 1979, Paric serves the hospitality, retail, industrial, historic renovation, interior construction, office, senior living and health-care markets.