Brief: Mandalay Bay supports installed

"All the mini-piles or pin piles are in place and 435 have been tested," he said. Testing on the rest of the cylinders, which are placed at the bottom of holes drilled 200 feet beneath the 43-story, 3,700-room hotel-casino, should be completed by November, Lynn said.

Circus Circus Enterprises Inc. hired specialists to install the supports, which are buttressed by high-pressure grouting, after the $950 million Mandalay Bay experienced uneven settling.

Lynn said the latest test results show a portion of the building's center has sunk 18.8 inches as its weight squeezes moisture out of an underlying aquifer. Five weeks ago, the maximum settlement was 18 inches, with other parts of the facility experiencing less or no sinkage.

"The movement is almost imperceptible," Lynn said. "The building has obviously been stabilized tremendously."

Circus executive Mike Sloan said that, with the support work virtually completed, the company has spent about $8 million so far on the rehab project. The resort is scheduled to open in March.

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