In Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the Island Resort & Casino will soon see some major changes after getting the green light on a $30 million expansion.

Announced on Wednesday by the casino, the Hannahville Indian Community Tribal Council approved what will be the property’s second major expansion within five years after having invested some $8 million on a project that included a new full-service spa and a second golf course, among other updates, that began in 2015.

According to a Wednesday report from news station WLUC…

Planned additions:

….the current expansion will include the addition of 100-plus hotel rooms that will connect to the south end of the existing 11-story Palm Tower, along with a lobby and three guest elevators, while convention space and an upscale dining venue are planned for the top floor.

Also included in the $30 million expansion is a pool with water park features for children and young adults under the age of 18.

Timeline:

According to the news agency, construction is scheduled to start in June and is expected to be completed sometime in 2021.

Owned and operated by the Hannahville Indian Community, a band of the Potawatomi Nation, the Island Resort & Casino invested $8 million in expansion and renovations from 2015-2017, adding a new sports bar,  T. McC’s, the new Drift Spa on the hotel’s second floor, and a second golf course, Sage Run Golf Club, which opened in 2017 some 12 years after the award-winning Sweetgrass golf course debuted.

Current amenities:

In addition to the above-mentioned amenities, currently, the property offers a total of 326 guest rooms, which includes 14 “luxury” suites, a 42-site RV Park, gift shop, salon, indoor saltwater pool and whirlpool, 7 restaurants and bars, and a 13,000 sq ft convention center. The 55,000 sq ft casino features approximately 1,200 slots and 32 table games including a 6-table poker room.

Northern competition:

Located about 80 miles north, the Ojibwa Casino in Marquette County recently completed part of its $34 million casino expansion project after years of delays. The completed phase of the renovation and expansion features a 1,200-seat amphitheater and convention space with enough room for 400 seats, along with a bar/lounge with live entertainment, one of two new restaurants and 500 slot machines, up from its previous 280-plus.

The current phase of the casino project was originally slated to include a much-needed hotel, however, that part of the initial plan was reportedly not feasible.