In January 2018, the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe will reportedly break ground on a $26.5 million major renovation project at its Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort.

After being approved by the Tribal Council in an 11-0 vote in July, construction on the tribe’s flagship casino in Mount Pleasant, Michigan is scheduled to begin on January 15, 2018, and is expected to be completed by fall of next year, according to the press release.

Split into a seven-phase plan, the first phase of construction is expected to be completed on April 22nd and includes relocating the casino’s high limit gaming and developing a new VIP lounge. During this phase, the existing poker room will be moved temporarily to the Slot Palace. Relocating the high limit area will see the existing poker room transformed into a luxury high limit gaming space, which will include Casino Hosts’ offices and an integrated VIP lounge.

On January 15, the second phase is also planned to begin with completion expected by March 11. Included in this phase will be remodeling the Kid’s Quest / Cyber Quest amenities to include a centralized entryway positioning Cyber Quest Arcade to the front as to allow guests to walk through the arcade to access Kid’s Quest.

Beginning April 23, phases three, four and five will include the construction of various amenities including an enclosed poker room, an enclosed non-smoking gaming area, and the new “ASCEND” sports bar & night club, which will occupy the current non-smoking area. The anticipated completion dates for the modifications are June 17, July 29 and August 12, respectively.

ASCEND will feature a grand entry complete with 12 foot high pivoting doors, a wing-shaped center bar, VIP seating area, entertainment stage, 59 bar-top slot machines, dramatic lighting effects and multiple TV screens. On either side of the sports bar and night club will be the newly enclosed non-smoking area and relocated poker room.

Scheduled to begin on June 18, phase six includes the updating of the existing Entertainment Hall, which is expected to be completed by the 23 of September. Updates will be made to the acoustics and state of the art high-tech programmable lighting elements will be added to the ceiling, along with the addition of unlimited scene-producing multi-media panels on the stage.

Phase seven, the final phase, includes the re-branding of the sub shop, adding seating and improving the entry area and is expected to begin on July 30 and span five weeks. At present, “Central Deli & Sub Shop” is being considered as a new name by Soaring Eagle.

The press release stated that the “major renovation project will be one of the largest investments that Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort’s guests have seen since the grand opening back in 1998,” with the last major renovation in 2011.

Washington-based I-5 Design Build will design and construct the remodel.

In June this year, the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe broke ground on the construction of a new five-story 148-room hotel for its Saganing Eagles Landing Casino in southern Arenac County. The new development will also reportedly include space for an additional 400 slot machines and is expected to be completed in early 2019.