50 Indian Gaming March 2017

OPENINGS & EXPANSIONS

Having completed a detailed approval phase, constructioncrews are moving ahead on FireKeepers Casino’s unique casinocommunity investment, The Fire Hub restaurant and foodpantry in Battle Creek, MI. Menu design, hiring and generalplanning at the historic Fire Station # 4 are also moving forward, with a targeted grand opening planned for spring 2017.

Jen Ozolins was recently named Head Chef of The Fire Hub and will oversee all aspects of the project, including menudesign, staffing, and food development. Ozolins is currentlydeveloping an upscale, yet affordable, menu featuring a delicious selection of breakfast items, soups, salads, hot and coldsandwiches, pizzas and desserts.

“Jen has done an amazing job developing a menu that theBattle Creek community will relish,” said Chef MichaelMcFarlen, Fire Hub visionary and Vice President of Food andBeverage at FireKeepers Casino Hotel. “This initiative createsmultiple different avenues for FireKeepers to improve lives and create a new culinary option in downtown Battle Creek. We are really excited about this new endeavor and eagerly anticipate an early 2017 Grand Opening.”

A first of its kind non-profit hands-on investment by acasino operator, The Fire Hub will blend a restaurant with largegardens to grow food designed to create a free salad bar at localschools and a food pantry to provide a dignified store conceptto help those less fortunate. FireKeepers Casino Hotel and itsowners, the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi purchased Fire Station #4 located in Battle Creek. Constructionis being managed by Michigan-based, family-owned MooreTrosper Construction Company.

While the Fire Hub will contain various “spokes” of a business including a restaurant, an artisan bakery and muchneeded downtown meeting space, the most important goal isto give back to the community. The project will accomplish thisgoal via multiple programs. First, the rear section of the build-ing will become the home of The Kendall Street Pantry, a foodpantry that will serve as an agency of the Food Bank of SouthCentral Michigan, distributing food from shelves to those lessfortunate. Secondly, farmable land will be cultivated and HoopHouses purchased to grow food, with a goal of providing a freesalad bar for downtown schools in Battle Creek. Third is thecreation of a fund to support local charities, with 80% of allrestaurant profits and an allocation of 50 cents from everyrestaurant check providing the monies. The remaining 20% of profits will be reinvested in the property.

Construction of Fire Hub Restaurant/Food Pantry Moves Forward

Hotel management at Pechanga Resort & Casino recentlyannounced the completion of a total makeover of 65 of their-guest suites. The renovation, which included the AAA Four Diamond resort’s 63 one-bedroom suites and two executivesuites, came as part of a reinvestment into the existing resortproperty while the Pechanga tribe’s $285 million resort expan-sion continues with completion slated for December 2017.

Drawing inspiration from the exterior views from the suites –the mountains, golf course and valley skyline – the suite renovations were a “complete refresh and reboot.”

Lead Designer, Ann Fleming of Cleo Designs, said, “Wereconfigured the suite floor plan to create a more dynamic,interesting and comfortable use of the square footage. Weneeded to make technology capabilities within the suites totallyeffortless for guests. It now feels completely built-in, like theywere there all along.”

Along with thoughtful technology inclusions, the suitesalso offer all-new aesthetics relating to fabrics, furniture, artwork, décor, paint and wall coverings in order to frame thesuites’ sweeping views.

“The new one-bedroom and executive suites are simply stunning,” said Patrick Murphy, President of the PechangaDevelopment Corporation. “These very plush yet comfortablesuites give a hint of what’s to come with the new hotel wing.We are confident we have raised the bar.”

For the resort’s one-bedroom suites, the built-in bars in eachof these 900 sq. ft. units were replaced with a seated dining area.This space can be flexibly utilized for dining, as a work area,a modified buffet area for room service, or the table and chairscan be moved out and a portable bar moved in if the space isutilized for hospitality and entertaining. These one-bedroomsuites also offer a wrap-around floor plan with each living area

Pechanga Resort & Casino Completes Total Makeover of 65 Hotel Guest Room Suites

March 2017 Indian Gaming 51

The Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of PottawatomiIndians (Gun Lake Tribe) and Gun Lake Investments (GLI)recently held a ceremonial grand opening to celebrate its first-ever non-gaming economic development project. NoondayMarket is a $4.4 million fuel and convenience store located southof Gun Lake Casino’s main entrance in Bradley, MI, andopened for business in February.

“This is a special milestone because we are celebrating theopening of our first non-gaming business,” said ChairmanScott Sprague. “My hope is many years from now our peoplewill see this as the beginning of a new journey towards economicdiversification that played a key role in securing the health andwell-being of our tribe.”

The tribe formed GLI as an independent economic development company tasked with pursuing business oppor-tunities outside of casino gaming. GLI is operated by a ChiefExecutive Officer and staff who report to a six-member Boardof Directors. GLI formed a subsidiary, GLIMI, of which theMichigan Economic Development Corporation has a non-voting seat on the board of directors, to jointly fund economicdevelopment projects with the state, including Noonday Market.

“I am very thankful that we have forward looking tribal leadership that devoted resources necessary for us to pursue realeconomic development projects,” said Kurt Trevan, GLI

Chief Executive Officer. “Noonday Market’s development,construction and operation will be the first of many success-ful ventures for GLI and the tribe.”

Noonday Market is a 6,800 sq. ft. facility that is open 24 hoursa day, 365 days a year with 12 regular fueling stations and two high-flow diesel pumps. It will house a Subway Restau-rant featuring indoor and outdoor seating. The operation will employ 22 positions and generate more than $1 million annually in local and state taxes.

Rockford Construction was the construction manager ofNoonday Market. R.W. Mercer and Seven Generations A&Ewere among other partners involved in the construction process.Ninety-eight construction jobs were created in concrete, electrical, mechanical, stone masonry, ironworkers, plumbers,pipefitters, roofing and carpenters. J&H Family Stores was hiredto help manage the day-to-day operations. Nearly all of the $4.4million cost in materials and services were purchased fromMichigan companies.

Gun Lake Tribe and Gun Lake Investments Open First Non-Gaming Business – NoondayMarket

able to remain open, or more privatized at a guests’ discretion.Bathrooms include complementary granite flooring, counter-tops and showers with oversized and well-lit mirrors, plusearth-friendly Roam bath products. Guests find plush bathrobesin their suites’ closets, have access to complimentary valet andself-parking, free concierge service and WiFi, and 24-hour roomservice.

The resort’s two executive suites make up the largest floorplan of any accommodations at Pechanga. The 1,320 sq. ft.spaces were designed with an intisified infusion of color and texture. A millwork screen element was added to the center ofthe room to make the space more interesting and appealing.Walls at the entry were removed to create more open living

space, as well as a high-top dining area with a visible connec-tion to the in-room bar. The bathrooms were enhanced byincluding a powder room, as well as more personalized closetspace with drawers and a full length mirror encased in millwork.

Currently there are 84 suites available to guests at Pechanga,with hundreds more on the way as part of the resort’s $285 million expansion that will add an additional 568 luxury roomsand suites, a four-acre resort pool complex, two new restau-rants, an additional 70,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space,a new two-story luxury spa and a five-level parking garage.

The hotel provides 24-hour room service, complimentaryvalet and self-parking, complimentary concierge service, freeWiFi and access to the pool, sundeck and workout facility.

52 Indian Gaming March 2017

OPENINGS & EXPANSIONS

The Kalispel Tribe announced it will soon be breaking groundon a nearly $20 million expansion of Northern Quest Resort &Casino and high-end signature RV Resort. The resort expansionwill include Kids Quest and Cyber Quest, a day care/entertain-ment center and family-friendly arcade, additions to the food courtand Windfall, a new retail store featuring a variety of outdoorrecreational items, home and sporting goods and more.

“We’ve worked very hard the past 17 years to ensure our successful gaming opportunities create a thriving and sustain-able source of funding for our government, while providing ourpeople with access to quality education, healthcare and employ-ment,” says Kalispel Tribal Chairman Glen Nenema. “Through-out it all, our intent has been to diversify and build on our dreamof creating a fun place for the whole family.”

The Northern Quest expansion will include an additional40,000 sq. ft. connected to the current south side of the casino.The grand façade, located on the corner of Hayford Road and Northern Quest Boulevard, will feature beautiful floor toceiling windows with a two-story circular beacon rising throughthe roof. The expansion plans were designed locally by Parametrix and ALSC Architects. Groundbreaking is sched-uled for late spring 2017, with projected opening in earlyspring 2018.

“We’re excited to bring additional family-friendly entertain-ment options to the West Plains,” says Kalispel Tribal EconomicAuthority Chief Operating Officer Phil Haugen. “For manyyears, our vision has included the desire to develop the propertysouth of Northern Quest and create an even larger entertain-ment destination with a true sense of place and community.”

The initial part of Phase I construction will bring up to 100

new permanent jobs to the community, along with several businesses that are unique to the market. “For the past several years, we’ve been working on a master development planfor this property,” says Brandon Haugen, General Manager ofKalispel Development Company. “We believe the timing isright to move forward with this new venture and we’re thrilledto unveil the first part of a multi-phased mixed-use develop-ment that will continue to transform this area of the WestPlains.”

The Kalispel Tribe intends to continue developing its property in Airway Heights and growing Northern Quest asa regional entertainment destination. “We appreciate theincredible loyalty of our long time guests and Team Members,”says Northern Quest General Manager Nick Pierre, “and weplan to continue providing the same four-diamond, four-starKalispel Hospitality that our guests have come to expect fromus. We can’t wait to unveil the next chapter in the evolutionof entertainment at Northern Quest.”

Kalispel Tribe Announces Expansion and RV Park at Northern Quest Casino

The Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians recently celebratedthe opening of its new Public Safety Building. This marks thefirst time both Tuolumne Rancheria Tribal Security and the

Tribal Fire Department will reside together in a singular loca-tion to demonstrate a continued commitment to the commu-nity. The momentous occasion was commemorated with atribal blessing, ribbon-cutting ceremony and luncheon.

“The tribe’s new Public Safety Building and the partnershipof our two safety departments is a great source of pride for theTuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians,” said Tribal Chairman,Kevin Day. The first of its kind in the area, the building willfoster a special, unique relationship between the two entitieswhile also representing the continued self reliance of our people and our commitment to the community.”

To celebrate the opening of the new building, members ofThe Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indian Community cametogether for a traditional tribal blessing. They were later joinedby members of the Tuolumne County Chamber of Commerce, other Central California tribal communities andlocal fire and sheriff’s departments for a ribbon cutting ceremony to officially opening the building. The event was followed by a celebratory luncheon at Black Oak Casino Resort.

The Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians Celebrates Opening of New Public SafetyBuilding Located at Black Oak Casino

L-R: Kevin Day, Tribal Chairman, Phyllis Montgomery, Tribal Elder, and AmeliaHarrison, Executive Director, Tuolumne County Chamber of Commerce, helpcut the ribbon, along with Tribal Elders, the Tuolumne County Chamber ofCommerce Board Members and Ambassadors.

54 Indian Gaming March 2017

Construction of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe’s new facility to house its Planning & Infrastructure Division is getting closer to being completed. The building is located at

2817 State Route 95 in Akwesasne, NY and was designedby Tisdel Associates. It is being built by Danko Construction Inc. of Massena, NY.

When substantially completed in April 2017, the pre-engineered metal building will include 11,600 sq. ft.of space; five vehicle bays, eight work stations, a conference room and storage areas.

The building was designed in accordance with NYS’Energy Conservation Construction Code and includeshigh-efficiency lighting and sensors, a radiant floorheating system and roof-mounted solar photovoltaic

panels, as well as two distinct areas separated by a fire-rated wall. Demolition of the existing building, former-HAVFD Fire

Station #1, will also be completed by Danko.

Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe’s Planning & Infrastructure Building Nearing Completion

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa recentlyunveiled its new state-of-the-art poker room. The 46-table, non-smoking poker room features Wi-Fi throughout and hasthe sports fan in mind (the room offers 40 TV’s, including six75-inch TV’s and four 65-inch TV’s). High-stakes playersnow have a new high-limit lounge featuring two VIP tables.Among the other offerings are a bar with seating to accommo-date 15, as well as a “hidden gem” of a snack bar with seatingfor more than 20, and as an added convenience an outdoor covered area for smoking.

To celebrate the opening of the new poker room, comedianBrad Garrett, best known for having played the role of RobertBarone in the hit CBS series Everybody Loves Raymond,performed a ceremonial guitar smash before the new venueopened to the public. He also played the first hand, whichincluded the presentation of a commemorative chip.

Following the ceremonies, Seminole Hard Rock Tampa presented to Garrett a $10,000 check for the charity of hischoice, Maximum Hope Foundation, which offers urgent finan-cial relief to families caring for a child with a life-limiting illness.

The casino also raised $3,000 for Julie Weintraub’s HandsAcross the Bay charity via a media poker tournament, which was won by Ronnie Lane from 620 WDAE. Garrett also donated $500 to Hands Across the Bay as did celebrity poker player and Seminole Hard Rock Tampa ambassador, John Racener. ®

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa Debuts New Poker Room with CeremonialGuitar Smash

Located at Black Oak Casino Resort, the Public Safety Building is 8,640 sq. ft. and will be home to the Tribal SecurityDepartment staff of 16 and the Fire Department’s 20 employees.While under the same roof, the departments will share knowledge and resources to serve the tribal community, the BlackOak Casino Resort and the greater community at-large. Togetherthey will work to maintain the high standards each departmenthas individually established when responding to calls.

The Tuolumne Economic Development Authority (TEDAInc.) worked with local contractors to construct the building,which was recently the recipient of the Tuolumne CountyChamber of Commerce’s New Building Award. The award was given earlier in the month and designated by the Chamber’s ambassadors.

Members of the Tuolumne Rancheria Tribal Security and Tribal FireDepartment.

OPENINGS & EXPANSIONS