The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 and the Puyallup Land Claims Settlement Act of 1990 provided a new avenue to economic development and an unprecedented revenue source to the Puyallup Tribe of Indians. The latter supplied millions of dollars that the Tribe could invest in economic development and services.
“Fast forward to today – we’ve grown explosively,” David Bean, Chairman of the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, told Native Business.
For 15 years, the Tribe has operated the Emerald Queen Hotel and Casino in Fife, which has been a key economic driver of the Tribe.
This December, the Tribe will open the doors to a new 310,000-square-foot facility — expected to rival not only their regional counterparts, but the best casinos in Las Vegas.
“You’re in Tacoma, Washington, and you roll into here. This is Vegas man,” the new casino’s general manager Frank Wright told Fox News.
Even the bathrooms at this giant sister, $370 million Emerald Queen Casino, situated on the banks of Puget Sound in Tacoma, merit national attention, Wright said.
“You walk into a restroom and there’s probably more stalls then you’ll find at any casino in the country, because we want to make sure we’re taking care of every detail,” he told Fox.
The forthcoming landmark on I-5 in Tacoma will pave the way for a financial windfall to the community, creating hundreds of jobs and millions for the local economy.
The Tribally self-funded new Emerald Queen Casino will feature a 110,000-square-foot casino, along with an area bar & buffet and a 24-hour cafe, deli and sports bar with a view of Mount Rainier.
Guests can enjoy unparalleled views of downtown Tacoma and Puget Sound from the 2,000-seat, 21,000-square-foot events center.
The next phase of construction calls for a new $65 million attached hotel with 150-200 rooms, a rooftop restaurant, spa and various conference rooms.
