ARLINGTON – The Stillaguamish Tribe plans to break ground Tuesday on a $60 million expansion for its Angel of the Winds Resort Casino – the largest addition in the property’s history and two years in the planning.
The 300,000-square-foot expansion will add more slots and table games, an upscale restaurant and larger new buffet, a trendy bowling alley and other features that will raise the profile of “the world’s friendliest casino.”
“This expansion will turn us into a resort destination, and that’s exactly what we’re looking for,” said Travis O’Neil, general manager.
The expansion will include:
• Adding 300 to 400 slot machines and 10 to 15 table games, with space to add more to meet future demand. The casino currently has 1,225 slot machines and 20 table games.
• A 400-space parking garage for the north end that is now used for overflow and staff parking.
• A trendy 12-lane bowling alley.
• A 9,000-square-foot multi-purpose entertainment ballroom and meeting space twice the size of the current room that opened in December.
• An upscale restaurant that will seat 50 guests, with expansion to a dedicated buffet able to serve 200 people.
More amenities are to be announced at the groundbreaking.
O’Neil said looking at the competitive gaming market and listening to the needs of customers made the decision to expand a clear one.
“We’re not the biggest casino, and we’re not trying to go head to head with anybody, but we want our guests to have more options,” O’Neil said.
Las Vegas-based Cuningham Group Architecture provided project design. Swinerton Builders in Bellevue is general contractor , whose other projects include expansions for Emerald Queen Casino in Fife, Yakima Legends Casino and Ilani Casino Resort in Ridgefield north of Vancouver.
O’Neil said the project will bring 400 construction jobs, and add 150 new casino resort jobs over the next 18 months, creating an employee base of 750.
Tribal officials anticipate that as many as 450 people, including the tribal council, casino executives, civic and community leaders and business partners, will attend the groundbreaking.
Casino executives alluded to the expansion in December when the tribe became title sponsor for the arena in Everett, paying $3.4 million for naming rights for the now called Angel of the Winds Arena.
This is the first expansion of the casino since the tribe opened its $27 million, five-story, 125-room attached hotel in December 2014.
“The hotel has been a big success and put us on the map,” O’Neil said.
The expansion also included the River Rock Smoke Shop, a gift shop and valet station.
Current dining options feature the Watershed Restaurant & Lounge, Katie’s Kitchen, 210 Brewing Company, and The Lounge with live entertainment five nights a week
The Stillaguamish Tribe opened Angel of the Winds casino in October 2014.
The casino at 3438 Stoluckquamish Lane is located three minutes east of I-5 Exit 210 north of Arlington.
