Five Questions With: David DeQuattro

David DeQuattro is managing principal for RGB Inc., a Providence-based architecture firm which is serving as the owner’s agent for the First Light Resort & Casino, a $1 billion casino development in Taunton, Mass. / COURTESY RGB INC.
David DeQuattro is managing principal for RGB Inc., a Providence-based architecture firm which is serving as the owner’s agent for the First Light Resort & Casino, a $1 billion casino development in Taunton, Mass. / COURTESY RGB INC.

David DeQuattro is managing principal for RGB Inc., a Providence-based architecture firm which is serving as the owner’s agent for the First Light Resort & Casino, a $1 billion casino development in Taunton, Mass., that is a project of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. The $500 million, first phase of the project, now under construction, is expected to include development of the resort casino, which will have 3,000 slot machines and 200 table games. The initial phase also will include retail development and a 3,200-space parking garage. The second, third and fourth phases will include three, 15-story hotels, an event center, additional parking and a water park. In an interview with the Providence Business News, DeQuattro described the company’s role in the massive project.

PBN: Site work has begun for the first phase of the First Light Resort & Casino. What is the role of RGB in this project?
DeQUATTRO:
We’re the agent, or advocate, that basically guides the project through design and construction. We manage the process and manage risks to prevent problems. We ensure that the project is on budget, and ultimately is complete. The total project is close to $1 billion. The first phase is half a billion.
PBN: What are some of the specific elements of the casino design? In the rendering, the hotels appear to have a purple hue. Is that intentional?
DeQUATTRO:
The purple hue is intentional. The significance of the purple comes from the purple coloring (wampum) in a quahog shell. The Mashpee Wampanoags used wampum as part of their culture and [it] was even considered a currency. A lot of the motifs were designed around that color for that reason. The design is intended to be like a Las Vegas-type resort and casino.
PBN: How hard is it to coordinate design and architecture services for a project of this magnitude?
DeQUATTRO:
We have a world-class group of people. The architect is Steelman Partners, of Las Vegas. The developer is Genting International, out of Malaysia. It’s pretty amazing. The process is to schedule and work in tandem with these professionals. You orchestrate a full-team process. It makes the job very easy when you’re working with the world-class professionals hired by the development team.
PBN: What is RGB’s prior experience in working in hospitality or casino development?
DeQUATTRO:
RGB has been in business for more than 70 years. Our entertainment, hotel and hospitality experience dates back to the 1980s. We did the [Courtyard Providence Downtown hotel] in downtown Providence, and the renovations to the [Omni Providence] Hotel. For Mohegan Sun, we did two new restaurants and variations to their gaming floor. We’ve got retail experience, including Garden City Center. We’ve done multiple parking garages. Our portfolio represents all building types. This is the largest, single project. The second-largest project was T.F. Green Airport, where we did the [InterLink station], which was $150 million at the time.
PBN: How did you get involved with the Wampanoag Tribe, and is this your first project for them?
DeQUATTRO:
RGB’s representation of owners goes back to the 1970s. We worked with the Wampanoag tribe about five years ago, with their government center and their tribal court building. We were the owner’s representative for that, as well.

No posts to display