‘This is just the beginning’: Spokane Tribe Casino opens hotel addition

The Spokane Tribe Resort & Casino opened an addition Friday that included 175 rooms, a pool, fitness center and dining hall.

The ribbon cutting event for the hotel came after the casino opened Spokane Live, its midsize concert venue in November last year.

“There’s a whole master plan,” said Gary Thayer, entertainment director for the casino, in November when work was wrapping up for Spokane Live. “This is just the beginning.”

About three years ago the casino had its first major expansion project that doubled the size of its gaming floor.

“Watching all the elements come together is thrilling,” said Matthew Damskov, director of hotel operations for the casino, in a statement ahead of a ribbon cutting event for the hotel. “Our casino has been expanding and improving ever since we opened six years ago.”

According to Damskov, room rates at the hotel vary to offer different levels of affordability and luxury to “attract people from all walks of life.”

Larry Buck, production director for the casino, shared a similar notion in November when discussing the versatility of the music venue to feature diverse rock music acts.

“And by rock, I mean hip-hop, country, Americana or anything that people want to get up and move,” he said.

At 14300 state Route 2, the Airway Heights operation has plenty more room to expand, surrounded by roughly 100 acres of untouched land.

Patios accessible from the music venue on the building’s eastern exterior are adjacent to a large parking lot that is planned to host music festivals as large as 6,500 to 8,500 people, Thayer said in November. Additional plans for the property include an RV park and parking garage.

Officials could not be reached Friday afternoon as they were delivering tours of the hotel, according to public relations representative Sean Lumsden.