The $510 million casino project of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe is under construction and new details were announced this week on the vision the tribe has for the property. The Cowlitz Casino Resort will be located at Exit 16 off Interstate 5 just outside La Center, Washington.

The new venue should open in the spring of 2017 and will be constructed in a three phase’s project. The plans include a one story casino building of resort style with 368,000 square feet. The venue will include 100,000 square feet in gaming space as well as meeting facilities. For dining and entertainment, the casino-resort will include 15 restaurants, bars and shops.

The fact sheet provided by the tribe called the gaming space a premier entertainment and meeting destination for the Northwest, offering ‘exciting games of chance and skill’. The venue is being designed to have a feel of the Northwest and will include natural light, wood stone and tribal touches throughout. There will be 2,500 slot games as well as 75 gaming tables, five high limit table sand 60 high limit slot games.

The meeting and convention space will be able to seat as many as 2,500 people with 3,000 parking spaces, including VIP and valet options. Gaming will be the big attraction of the venue but attention is being paid to the dining options. The casino will have bars, shops and eateries offering causal as well as fine dining. Players will be able to enjoy snacks, beer and sandwiches close to the gaming floor for quick dining.

Salishan-Mohegan LLC will be developing and managing the casino due to the development agreement and management agreement signed with the Cowlitz Tribal Gaming Authority. The agreement is for seven years. The second phase of the development process should include hotel construction, three to four years after the casino has opened.

The casino project will bring short term construction jobs to the local area, with as many as 250 employed. The casino jobs that will be permanent should reach the 800 to 1,200 mark by the time the casino opens. The tribe has signed a hiring agreement with the local labor unions and estimate that dealers will earn $50,000 a year on average, as well as benefits.

Also to stimulate the local economy, the casino will be purchasing goods and services locally. This will include beverages and food, furniture, landscaping, office supplies and more.