In the western American state of Washington, the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians has reportedly announced that it is preparing to spend upwards of $60 million in order to significantly expand its Angel of the Winds Casino Resort.
According to a Wednesday report from HeraldNet.com, the federally-recognized tribe is planning to hold an official groundbreaking ceremony for the project located some 15 miles north of the city of Everett next week and expects around 450 people to attend including numerous local community representatives and business leaders.
The news agency reported that the 300,000 sq ft expansion project is set to represent the largest investment the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians has made in the Angle of the Winds Casino Resort since opening the venue almost 14 years ago, with the price tag easily topping the $27 million it spent in late-2014 to inaugurate an attached five-story hotel.
The Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians reportedly declared that the coming expansion will see the Angle of the Winds Casino Resort, which is located on tribal land in northern Snohomish County, add a high-end restaurant and a new buffet area alongside a 400-space parking garage. Moreover, the plan purportedly calls for the venue’s casino floor to be significantly extended so that it may eventually offer up to 1,625 slots as well as 35 gaming tables.
“We think it’s going to be a game changer for our property,” Jeff Wheatley, Assistant General Manager for the Angel of the Winds Casino Resort, reportedly told HeraldNet.com, “We think we’re on the cusp of becoming a major resort.”
The news agency reported that the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians has been planning to expand its Angel of the Winds Casino Resort for over two years and hinted at the project in mid-December when it signed a ten-year and $3.4 million naming rights deal that saw Everett’s former Xfinity Arena become the Angle of the Winds Arena.
“We are looking at plans to expand some amenities at the casino itself but we’re not ready to divulge the details,” Travis O’Neil, General Manager for the Angel of the Winds Casino Resort, reportedly told The Daily Herald late last year.
In related news, the news agency reported that mid-December saw the nearby Tulalip Tribes begin construction on a new $140 million casino and hotel complex to replace its existing Quil Ceda Creek Casino. This federally-recognized tribe purportedly explained that the coming venue is due to be located on a 16-acre site across the street from the older counterpart it is to replace and will open in the spring of 2019 offering a 150-room hotel alongside an 110,000 sq ft casino with around 1,500 slots.
“There’s a lot of competition in the market [and] I think we’re all driving ourselves to get better and serve the local community,” Wheatley reportedly told The Daily Herald.