The complex will be anchored by a 94,500-sf casino, which is on the scale of gambling establishments in Reno. Also on the property will be a hotel, five restaurants, a 3,500-seat performance stage, a three-acre man-made lake and a 3,000-car parking complex.

The casino is being built on land once occupied by the tribal headquarters and bingo hall. It will replace the tribe's Emerald Queen Casino on Tacoma's Tideflats, and at the same time set a new standard in the world of Indian casino development by becoming the first tribe to develop a casino resort in the heart of a major metropolitan area.

The urban location will generate exponentially more in profit than existing casinos in the state, which are generally smaller and on more rural reservation land. The Puyallup Tribes' two existing casinos each generate profit in the $100 million range, while the new casino next to Interstate 5, where 177,000 drivers pass on a daily basis, is projected to generate profits between $200 million and $300 million.