Gun Lake Casino in Wayland, Michigan, Thursday announced it has broken ground on a $300 million addition to its property that will transform the casino into a resort hotel.
Phase 5 of the Tribe’s series of renovations adds a 15-floor 252 room hotel along with be a six-story “Aquadome” with three pools and 32,000 square feet of space that can transform into a concert and entertainment venue, and banquet center.
“Over the past eleven years, the Gun Lake Tribe and our Gun Lake Casino team members have worked tirelessly to make this all a possibility,” said Gun Lake Casino CEO Sal Semola in a statement. “This is just the next step towards making our property the premier entertainment destination in the Midwest.”
The top two floors of the hotel will feature a two-story suite with a grand staircase, double-height window, and residential elevator. Guests can also enjoy a full-service bar, a billiards table, and a larger bar upstairs with indoor/outdoor dining and lounge areas.
About 350 jobs are expected to be created as part of the addition to the property.
Gun Lake Casino completed its Phase 4 expansion last summer, a $100 million project that included more casino floor, 500 slot machines, more than a dozen table games and three restaurants.
“Job creation is one of the many things we’re excited about with this expansion,” Semola said. “We take great pride in providing career opportunities with outstanding benefits for people in our community. These jobs will include guest relations, housekeeping, entertainment, and several other departments.”
HBG Design from Memphis, Tennessee, a hospitality design firm that has worked for with 40 Sovereign Nations, is the principal architect for the project.
“We are thrilled to begin taking the next steps in expanding not only Gun Lake Casino’s offerings but also our career opportunities to those in the surrounding communities,” said Gun Lake Tribal Chairman Bob Peters in a statement. “We are committed to continuously investing in the future of the Tribe, the community, and our current and future team members.”
