Shakman Hospitality LLC of Boca Raton is rushing to complete the renovation of the rooms and suites by mid-December, in time for the new tourist season. The room-suites renovation cost alone is $15 million. "We have assembled some of the best craftsmen and artisans in the world to complete the project on a fast-track basis," says Mark Isabelle, a Shakman principal. "Coordination of such a project in such a short period of time is a daunting task."

Philip Goldfarb, president and chief operating officer of Turnberry Associates, calls the new construction "a massive project that requires meticulous attention to detail under a very rigorous schedule." He says Shakman was selected because of the firm's expertise in renovating other world-class resorts in South Florida such as the Cheeca Lodge & Spa and the Brazilian Court Hotel.

The original tower at Fairmont Turnberry Resort was constructed in the mid-1970s. The most recent tower was completed in the mid-1990s. Turnberry had sold the resort after developing it but bought back the property last year.