The Angel of the Winds Casino, owned by the Stillaguamish Tribe of Arlington, Washington, last week held a ground-breaking this week for a $60 million expansion, its largest.
The ceremony was attended by about 200 VIPs, tribal officials and guests.
The casino will add 300,000 square feet that will include a new high-end eatery, Whiskey Prime, a new 200-seat buffet, more table games, a concert venue that seats 750, and slots and a 400-space parking structure. The casino’s assistant manager, Jeff Wheatley, told the Everett Herald, “We think it’s going to be a game changer for our property. We think we’re on the cusp of becoming a major resort.” Other amenities will be added later, although no details are being released yet.
The casino’s general manager, Travis O’Neil, said they drew some inspiration from the Brooklyn Bowl in Las Vegas. He told the Herald, “There’s this cool vibe and energy and that’s what we want to do with our casino.”
The casino will add up to 400 slot machines, and 25 gaming tables. It currently has 1,225 slots and 20 tables. The most recent expansion was a $27 million, five story hotels, which opened three years ago.
The number of employees, now 600, is expected to climb to at least 750 when the expansion opens.
A tribal member, Carie van Eyk, who has been working for the tribe 30 years, since she was a young woman, said “We used to call this area the Promised Land. It was kind of a joke, there was some sadness, a lot of alcoholism and just not so happy times. Things have turned around and today our community is a lot healthier and times have changed, thank god.”
Tribal Chairman Shawn Yanity recalls that when the tribe first proposed the casino it wasn’t a popular idea. “It took a lot of work through the years to bridge that gap,” he said. “We’re really proud that the success we have is flowing into the community and lifting everybody up as well.”
