New 'Las Vegas-style' Emerald Queen Casino ready to open June 8
TACOMA -- The Puyallup Tribe's long-awaited 310,000-square-foot gaming center is slated to open June 8, the tribe announced Monday.
The building will replace the popular Tacoma I-5 casino.
The new casino has been touted as "Las Vegas-style." Everything is new, from the games to the lights to a 2,000-seat concert venue and event center.
A 12-story, 170-room hotel is under construction and slated to be completed in the summer.
An inside look: Tacoma to welcome Las Vegas-style casino
You cant drive on I-5 in Tacoma and not spot it: a giant new landmark that will house one of the biggest casinos in the state. The Puyallup Tribes new Emerald Queen Casino is already being called the Las Vegas of the Puget Sound, and it hasn't even opened yet. The tribe says its also a jackpot for the community, with hundreds of jobs created and millions pouring into the local economy. EQC General Manager Frank Wright helped the tribe usher in gaming back in the 90s with the Emerald Queen Riverboat, but always with an eye on getting bigger and better.
The tribe says the new casino is a jackpot for the community, with hundreds of jobs created and millions pouring into the local economy.
Opening day will begin with a prayer at 9 a.m. The casino will only open to tribal members until 12 p.m., before opening to the general public.
Tribal officials said hygiene is a major focus for the casino in an era of COVID-19.
Following the EQC's Fife casino opening in mid-May, the new building will follow strict sanitation regulations. Officials will limit attendance, mandate temperature scans upon entry, frequently clean gaming centers and require face coverings for guests and staff members.