Washington: new Quil Ceda Creek Casino on schedule for early 2021 opening

The new Quil Ceda Creek Casino in Tulalip, Washington, which faced construction delays in 2018, is now on track to be completed next year.

Rising from a 15-acre site across from the existing casino near I-5 at Fourth Street, the new location is expected to open in early 2021. At 127,000 square-feet, the entertainment venue is twice the size of the current casino, which was built in 1992. The old casino will continue to operate until the new facility opens.

The $125 million project includes a 137-seat restaurant, 212-seat food hall, sprawling entertainment lounge and 1,500 slot machines — 500 more than the current casino. The project adds a six-story parking garage with nearly 1,100 parking stalls. When completed, the new Quil Ceda Creek Casino will have about 700 more parking spaces than currently available, plus charging stations for electric vehicles.

“Construction of the new Quil Ceda Creek Casino is on track and making considerable progress,” said Ken Kettler, president and chief operating officer of the Tulalip Gaming Organization, as reported by The Daily Herald. “We love having our guests back at our current property, but can’t wait to show them what we mean when we say there will be ‘More to Love’ in their gaming, dining and entertainment experience,” added Kettler, referencing a marketing slogan.

In 2018, an issue emerged with the original general contractor. That slowed the project and delayed the completion date, originally expected last year. The Tulalip Tribes replaced the contractor, and construction began again in 2019, the Tulalip News reported last year. Seattle-based Andersen Construction is the builder, and Thalden Boyd Emery Architects of St. Louis, Missouri, is the architect.

Tulalip Tribes leaders have said they expect the new venue will bring in millions more in gaming revenue each year. Resorts and casinos account for a majority of the tribe’s revenue, Tulalip chairwoman Teri Gobin has said.

The Tulalip Tribes have also invested in new street improvements to provide better access to the new casino. Builders expect to finish the interior and install the gaming machines and restaurant fixtures this fall. 

Non-essential building projects were halted this spring as part of Gov. Jay Inslee’s COVID-19 statewide lockdown order. However, construction of the new casino continued. “Being located on sovereign tribal land, construction has continued on schedule,” Belinda Hegnes, the casino’s executive director of operations, told The Daily Herald.

Precautions were taken. Workers wore masks and gloves and practiced social distancing on the job, Hegnes said.

Both the Tulalip Resort Casino and the Quil Ceda Creek Casino reopened late last month after an eight-week closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.