Washington’s ilani Casino broke ground April 23 on a 300-room hotel adjacent to its existing $510 million casino resort. The hour-long ceremony was attended by tribal members and VIPs.
Cowlitz Tribal Chairman Philip Harju said, “I think the bigger picture is, as we’ve said during our fight for federal recognition and to get this land into trust, that the Cowlitz have always been here.” He added, “We’re here now and we’ll always be here in Southwest Washington and we’ll always be good partners.”
Tribal Vice Chairman Dave Barnett declared, “Everyone in Cowlitz, this is yours, this is your land, this is your building,” he said. “It can help members who are still in need so we can all get to a level of comfort because I personally have seen so many of the hardships.”
The new construction follows four years after the Cowlitz Indian Tribe opened the casino and has been part of the facility’s master plan for the 159-acre site. The hotel will create 200 jobs, according to the tribe.
Casino President and General Manager Kara Fox-LaRose commented, “We will be aiming for a 4-diamond quality status hotel that really includes high quality finishes and first class hospitality.”
The 4,357-member tribe is looking at opening the new 14-story hotel in 2023. Its amenities will include a fitness center, spa, salon, rooms and suites. Its blue glass exterior will salute the surrounding rivers, such as the nearby Columbia, where the tribe was based.
In a related development, the ilani will begin offering sportsbook soon and will open two eateries by the end of summer: A 90-seat Asian restaurant and a sports bar. Last year the legislature approved sports betting for the state’s gaming tribes.
Concurrently, the casino has added more gaming space with 200 more slot machines to its existing 2,500 slots and 75 gaming tables.
