Installation of the final beam of the Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino’s $40 million expansion is being prepared by construction crews on the corner of Perry Street and Michigan Avenue in downtown Buffalo this week. The Seneca Nation of New York will be joined by Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown and leaders of the casino company this afternoon for a ceremonial “topping-off,” as the steel frame of the building reaches its apex, according to The Buffalo News.

On January 14, leaders from the Seneca Nation and Seneca Gaming Corporation, joined representatives from the business and construction communities, elected officials, and others in kicking off the project with an official groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a 28,500-square-foot addition. The expansion will increase the existing casino by more than 42 percent to 95,500-square-feet on the South Park Avenue side of the complex, and feature additional retail, restaurant, and gaming space.

More specifically, the expansion includes increasing the casino’s existing slot machine count by 360, bringing the total to 1,200 machines, and adding 10 more table games, giving it a total of 32. An expanded non-smoking area will be added, as well as a high-limit room for slots and table games. A small performance stage will be installed by crews at Stixx Sports Bar for live entertainment. Changes will also be made to the Buffalo Savors Grill, as well as banquet space, additional retail space, and a version of the Western Door Steakhouse restaurant located on the second floor with indoor and outdoor seating.

The decision to expand was officially approved last summer by the Seneca Nation Council and represents Seneca Gaming’s latest series of investments made in its three local casino resort operations. More than 3 million customers visit the Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino annually. All totaled, more than 10 million patrons visit the Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino, Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino, and Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino each year.

Last month, representatives from the Seneca Gaming Corp. announced that both Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino in Salamanca and the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino in Niagara Falls received Four Diamond Awards from AAA. Since 2006, the 26-story, 604-room Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel has received the award every year. The Four Diamond rating has been awarded to Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino each year since 2009.

Expected to be completed in spring 2017,  the expansion will add approximately 300 new jobs when finished, bringing the employee base to about 800.