Tribes to build new Omak casino

The Colville Tribes has announced plans to construct a casino on property purchased four years ago along SR-97, south of the Rodeo Trail Road near Omak.

The Tribes wanted to start the project earlier but when workers dug on the site back in 2009, they found human bones, and it derailed the project until now.

Joe Pakootas, executive director of the Colville Tribal Federal Corporation made the announcement last week.

It’s the second major project announced by the Tribes this past year. Earlier officials announced plans to build a new $40 million complex to house the Tribal administration offices on the Colville Indian Agency grounds.

President of the Colville Business Council, Michael O. Finley, said that work on the administration building would begin soon, according to a story in the Omak Chronicle. The existing administration building will be torn down.

Taylor Woodstone of Bloomington, Minnesota, was picked to build the casino complex, which will include the casino, a hotel, restaurants and possibly casino offices, it was announced.

It was anticipated that work would begin on this project before the first of the year.

The Tribes already operate the Okanogan Bingo Casino just a couple of miles from the new building site. Officials stated that the Okanogan casino would remain open until the new casino was operable.

Tribal officials had announced plans for the casino in 2009, a $24 million project and a 58,000 square foot facility. They had purchased the land for $2 million, it was reported at the time.