Mystic Lake Center, owned and operated by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, recently opened in Prior Lake, Minnesota, 25 miles southwest of Minneapolis and St. Paul. The 9-story, 180-room hotel tower addition makes Mystic Lake Casino Hotel one of the metro area’s largest with a total of 766 rooms. Angela Heikes, president and chief executive officer at the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community’s Gaming Enterprise, said, “We created a place that was reflective of the community. It’s about a story and a place and that is very meaningful to us. Mystic Lake Center is now one of the most sought-after places for events in the region, and it’s a reflection of the SMSC’s commitment to creating an outstanding, memorable experience for everyone who visits its enterprises.”
The center’s design was inspired by the natural scenery of Minnesota, including flowing rivers, frozen lakes and prairie grasslands. “If you look at this building, it really is a work of art,” Heikes said. For example, the chandeliers are designed with blue acrylic to imitate water droplets, and ceiling panels and carpets depict a river. The center’s western façade features more than 11,000 square feet of dynamic SageGlass with state-of-the-art electrochromic technology that reacts to sunlight, preventing glare and heat gain without the need for blinds or solar controls.
Mystic Lake Center also features a 70,000 square foot meeting and event space with three large ballrooms, several smaller meeting rooms and an executive conference room. Several large-scale events already are booked at through 2023, Setterfield said.
Mystic Lake Center created hundreds of construction jobs and 120 new permanent jobs. Native American employees accounted for more than 25 percent of the total construction hours.
