Casino hotel, yes but not 20 stories
December 12, 2012
By Staff
The Snoqualmie Tribe dropped a bomb onto local governments last week that almost left city leaders speechless.
The tribe unveiled a plan to the Snoqualmie Valley Governments Association that it plans to expand the Snoqualmie Casino and build a 20-story hotel.
According to The Seattle Times (which is owned by the same company as the Star), Snoqualmie Tribal Administrator Matt Mattson told the group the plan calls for a new 340-room hotel, conference center, larger casino and theater, and two new parking structures, with construction beginning as soon as next summer.
We do believe a hotel at or near the casino would be a welcome addition to the thousands of people who visit the casino, as well as people just coming to the Valley to enjoy our events and recreational opportunities. It was outlined as a future expansion when the casino was first proposed.
But 20 stories?
Snoqualmie Mayor Matt Larson told The Times he didn’t think it would be possible to disguise the height of such a tall building by locating it on the side of a hill. He said visitors expect more of a wilderness experience than an alien spaceship building.
The casino itself is a beautiful, lodge-style building set in a typical Pacific Northwest landscape of dripping evergreen trees and snowcapped mountains. The city leaders who attended the meeting told the Times that they support the idea of a hotel and agree it would improve economic opportunities here, but didn’t think a 20-story hotel would fit in with the character of the rural area.
The Snoqualmie Tribe does not need the city of Snoqualmie’s approval for the hotel, but has always been a good community partner. We would hope that relationship holds true as they listen to community concerns.
A hotel design that pleases both the passers-by and future hotel guests can surely compliment the Northwest motif as well as the casino does now.
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Hooooo Ahhh .!!! Way to go SNOQUALMIE TRIBE !!! Onward & Upward !!! WE are so Proud & Honored to say we are SNOQUALMIE !!! We don’t have to anwer to anyone because it’s our Trust Land & we bought it. We can help out our people who need jobs as well as others .