Officials with the tribe that owns Thunder Valley Casino in Lincoln say they’re temporarily suspending construction of the hotel expansion project. 

Construction was put to a halt with just five of the 22 stories built.
 
The decision by the United Auburn Indian Community will idle some 350 construction workers. It also jeopardizes the two-thousand jobs the tribe estimated it would create when finished.

Doug Elmets is a spokesman for Thunder Valley. 

“Right now it’s difficult to determine how the project will be altered. But we are hopeful that the expansion project will be completed on time, sometime in 2010, but just at a reduced, or changed scope.” 

Meanwhile, he says delaying the project will not affect any jobs within the casino.