Despite plans to attach it directly to the casino, the new tower will not feature any additional gaming space
Sioux tribe to build new hotel with its own convention center, according to an announcement made by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community and the Mystic Lake Casino Hotel. Construction is scheduled to begin as early as April next year and the new hotel is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2017.
The new tower is meant to be attached to an already existing casino complex (the Mystic Lake Casino Hotel), located in Prior Lake, Minnesota. It will feature a state-of-the-art convention center which will overlook The Meadows at Mystic Lake championship golf course. It will feature three-story windows, two large ballrooms and several meeting rooms.
The convention center will also include an executive boardroom with a balcony set above the golf course, as well as an outdoor patio space.
The planned additional tower will be nine stories high and include 180 rooms to be made available to future guests. It will not feature additional gaming or casino space however, instead being designed only to accommodate visitors, in its capacity as a hotel.
The new tower will make the Mystic Lake Casino Hotel the second largest in the metro area and the third largest hotel in the state of Minnesota. The resort and casino complex is currently operated by the SMSC Gaming Enterprise.
President and CEO of SMSC, Edward Stevenson has said that the planned new additions to the Mystic Lake Casino Hotel are meant to coincide with the 25th anniversary of its opening. This is why the company wants to finish the project by 2017, in order to make it available to the public to coincide with the anniversary. Stevenson has further stated that this is an excellent opportunity to meet growing demands to expand the current complex into a full-service resort.
The project comes as a great announcement for the job market, as it is expected to create 400 new opportunities for employment in construction and about 100 new permanent jobs in the region. SMSC has said that the company is already in talks with a potential contractor to oversee construction.
Many believe the Sioux’s tribe hotel expansion will also greatly benefit the community as a whole. The President and CEO of Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Randy Sampson has said that when a major entertainment venue from the region makes significant improvements, this benefits all of the other venues in the area. Sampson further stated that Canterbury Park is thrilled at the prospects of additional visitors the convention center will attract in the southwest metro.
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