Spokane Tribe of Indians officials announced at a news conference on December 20 that the first phase of its new casino in Airway Heights, Washington would open on January 8. Tribal Council Chair Carol Evans greeted the crowd in the Salish language, thanking them for coming “on this very fine, cold, icy morning.” She continued, “I’m just so honored and proud to be here today. It’s been a long time coming for the Spokane Tribe, and we are very, very close to opening our beautiful casino. To build on our ancestral homeland means so much for our people, for the local area. It will help our people with jobs.”
Ground was broken for the facility in mid-November 2016. It offers 450 slot machines, 12 table games, a restaurant-bar, deli and gaming-floor bar. The casino will provide 350 new jobs and still needs to fill 100 positions, Evans said. Future plans include a hotel, retail and other supporting businesses.
Several areas of the new property have names with tribal significance. For example, Three Peaks Kitchen and Bar, featuring casual fine dining, was named for Mt. Spokane, Cayuse Mountain on the Spokane Reservation and Steptoe Butte. “These are three important landmarks that roughly outline the Spokane’s ancestral homeland,” Evans said.
The gaming-floor bar, Whaluks, refers to a traditional card game played by generations of the Spokane Tribe. “Because the Spokane Tribe Casino is a gathering place for social interaction, Whaluks is a nod to the tribe’s traditions of fun and games,” Evans said.
Speelya’s Den Deli refers to the Salish word for coyote, a “trickster” who represents fun and merriment according to tribal lore. The venue, therefore, is a place where friends can gather to take a break over a quick bite to eat, Evans said.
