In this session, Robert De Corah takes PMI members inside the Ellis House buildout: a ground-up venue development project he managed from initial concept through grand opening. What makes this case study unique is the lens — Robert was simultaneously the owner and the project manager, meaning every delay, every cost overrun, and every scope decision carried direct business consequences with no organizational buffer to absorb them. And he did it all while continuing to run three other businesses.

Attendees will walk away with practical insight on:

• Managing competing constraints across budget, timeline, permitting, vendor coordination, and design
• Navigating scope creep and shifting priorities in a fast-moving build ut
• Making tradeoffs when there is no perfect answer
• What the planning process actually looked like — and what changed along the way
• Lessons learned from a creative commercial project with real stakes

Whether you manage internal projects or client-facing engagements, this session offers an honest, experience-forward look at what project management looks like when the decisions are yours and the consequences are real.

Speakers