Tribal officials said hygiene is a major focus for the casino in an era of COVID-19. Following the EQC's Fife casino opening in mid-May, the new building will follow strict sanitation regulations. The Puyallup Tribe of Indians have lived along the shores of the Puget Sound in Washington State for thousands of years. The people of the Puyallup Tribe have been known for 'generous and welcoming behavior to all people who enter our lands.' I used to really enjoy going to the old Emerald Queen Casino. I checked out this one with a friend, winning $150 over a few hours. Unfortunately, when I tried to cash in my chips at midnight, the 'system was down' and they would not cash in anyone's chips. The security guards were guarding the cashiers. Over the next 90 minutes, I. The new Emerald Queen Casino balances the eye-catching flash of a Las Vegas-style resort with memorable references to Puyallup Tribal culture. The 310,000-square-foot facility, which opened June 8, relocates the tribe's existing gaming operations to a highly visible site along Interstate 5 near downtown Tacoma, Washington.
- Emerald Queen Casino Construction
- Emerald Queen Casino Construction Projects
- Emerald Queen Casino Construction
Rising above Interstate 5 in Tacoma, Washington, the Puyallup Tribe of Indians' glamorous new Emerald Queen Casino is about to become an entertainment mecca that will beckon drivers to experience a bit of Las Vegas, Pacific Northwest-style.
The Emerald Queen's journey to star status began as a modest bingo hall built in 1992. But the Tribe had a grander plan – an unrivaled entertainment destination in the greater Seattle metro area including a hotel, casino and event venue. In the summer of 2018, construction began on a brand-new $310 million casino scheduled to open in December 2019. In addition to 310,000 square feet of space for gaming, the building will also feature a 2,000-seat events center, three restaurants and a second parking garage.
'It will have everything we could have dreamed of,' said Emerald Queen Casino General Manager Frank Wright. 'It's going to be fantastic.'
Process meets product to create harmonious efficiency
When a concept has merit, its adoption populates industry consciousness quickly. Offsite construction is a scheduler's nirvana. A temperature-regulated, professional work environment replaces scaffolding holding crewmembers at perilous heights. Rain, snow, temperature and wind are locked into the construction approach of the past – forever neutralized. The seriously innovative are the early adopters – architects, contractors and product manufacturers.
When Cunningham Group Architecture (CGA) was awarded the project, the firm recognized that panelized construction would be the ideal process. Since the casino would be built above an existing three-story parking structure, traditional construction would require crews to work hundreds of feet in the air, and the rainy Seattle climate could cause weather delays. With panelized construction, most of the work would take place in a climate-controlled warehouse.
Georgia-Pacific applied the same efficiency principles to DensElement® Barrier System – eliminating an application step, shortening cure time and enabling the same crew to both install and finish. By adding exponential efficiency in the sheathing process, time and labor savings are realized. In addition, factory output is increased.
Having recently used DensElement® Barrier System on a 21-story mixed-use tower in Portland, Oregon, the selected panelizer, Western Partitions, Inc. (WPI), knew it was ideal for the new Emerald Queen.
'We knew the feasibility of getting workers onto the building to install sheathing and the specified fluid-applied Water Resistive and Air Barrier (WRB-AB) just wasn't there,' said Nathan Sumison, WPI's Estimator and Project Manager. 'That's why we proposed DensElement Barrier System. When we don't have to have men installing a fluid-applied WRB-AB in a boom lift or on a swing state or a scaffold, it saves a lot of time and increases the safety factor. I'd estimate we saved 50% in overall labor by not having to install a fluid-applied barrier onsite.'
With DensElement Barrier System, no separate WRB-AB is needed. By filling microscopic voids in the glass mat and gypsum core of DensElement® Barrier System via AquaKor™ Technology, a hydrophobic, monolithic surface is created that blocks bulk water while retaining vapor permeability. It eliminates an application step – both in the factory and on the job site. There's no cure time slowing crews down, plus it's protected during transportation.
'The speed that we can put DensElement® Barrier System through our facility is amazing to me,' reflected Matt Wallace, WPI's panelization facility manager. 'We're able to put the sheathing on the panel, seal the seams and hit the screws with PROSOCO R-Guard® FastFlash®, and have it dry and ready for whatever process we have next. Rather than having to inspect every square inch of surface like you do with a fluid-applied barrier, we only have to make sure that the PROSOCO was applied at the right mil thickness. The overall time savings for us is just tremendous.'
The fact that DensElement® Barrier System is available in 12-foot sheets was also a boon for the project.
'Other sheathing products are only available in 4'x8′ sheets,' Sumison explained.
The panels we built for the Emerald Queen were 12 feet wide, so we were able to quickly and easily lay the 12-foot sheets of DensElement like railroad track. Our team didn't have to make cuts, which saved time, and there were hardly any leftover scraps, which helped minimize waste and save money.'
Easier to transport, quicker to install
Wallace's team constructed and shipped approximately 300 panels to the Emerald Queen job site.
'By using DensElement, we were able to use drywall sleuters – special boards we place in between the panels for transport,' Wallace remarked. 'Panels with a fluid-applied WRB-AB tend to stay tacky, and we've had problems with whatever protection was in between them sticking and ripping the fluid-applied off.'
Once the panels arrived, crews immediately began installing them on the structure.
'Using DensElement, we don't have to be out on the building as much,' Sumison added. 'We can hang the panels, hit the screw heads, joints and seams, walk away and we're done – it doesn't get any easier than that.' Slot telefoon.
Proven performance inspires confidence
Wallace estimates the panels were left exposed for approximately three weeks before the cladding was installed.
'That's another great thing about DensElement,' Sumison continued. 'We can hang it in any type of weather, and the PROSOCO R-Guard® FastFlash® can be applied to damp surfaces, which has helped us with this project.'
Both Wallace and Sumison view DensElement® Barrier System as their system of choice for all their projects moving forward.
'My crew and I definitely prefer it,' Wallace said. 'It's faster and easier to work with than the fluid applied. They can get their footages and then move the panels out of the way to get working on the next one right away.'
Efficiency and schedule control are hallmarks of offsite construction, but using DensElement® Barrier System adds exponential productivity by eliminating the application step and cure time that comes with fluid-applied products. Add in the reduced quality control time – just checking fasteners, penetrations and seams instead of the entire surface – and your production schedule is shortened considerably.
'It's the product we want to work with on all of our jobs with exterior sheathing,' Sumison concluded. 'It just makes sense.'
This article is intended solely as general information. Ultimately, the design and detailing of any project, assembly or system is the responsibility of a professional, and all projects must comply with applicable building codes and standards. For information concerning the limited warranty for the DensElement® Barrier System, visit www.denselement.com. GP Gypsum disclaims any responsibility or liability for the architecture, design, engineering or workmanship of any project, assembly or system.
First tip when entering the new Emerald Queen Casino: Look up.
Elegant and one-of-a-kind light fixtures are there not only to add beauty but help guide your way and find your friends.
Representatives of the Puyallup Tribe on Wednesday gave The News Tribune a preview of the tribe's new casino at 2920 E. R. St. in Tacoma. The facility is nearing completion after more than a decade of planning and five years of construction, at a cost of around $400 million.
The opening, originally hoped for in December, now looks to be some time in March as preparations wind through their final stages.
Emerald Queen general manager Frank Wright has been overseeing the project and drew from lessons learned early on from mentors in the industry and throughout his time with Emerald Queen to find out just what customers wanted in a new casino.
The new casino is a long way from the original riverboat that made its way to Tacoma in 1996 or its current I-5 site or even the EQ Fife site.
'If you look at the Fife casino, it was originally designed primarily to help our elders have a place they feel safe and secure,' he recalled. 'The rugs didn't have busy patterns .. the music was toned down. So when we built this new facility, this is jazzed up.'
The new casino will replace the current Emerald Queen Tacoma I-5 casino — a former bingo hall with three large adjoining tents. The Fife site will remain open.
At the new site, dramatic, one-of-a-kind LED light groupings are not just eye-catching but help customers locate each other and orient themselves on the gaming floor and multiple levels.
Dangling crystals, for example, help patrons locate table game pits. Murals can be found in different spots, tying together heritage and the landscape.
'Knowing customers, because we've been in business for 27 years, is that there's going be a lot of pride because they have a sense of ownership also,' said Wright. 'It'll be, ‘This is where I play,' or ‘This is going to be my machine,' — that's just the thought process in their mind. So they're going to be really proud of this.'
There are 2,133 machines on the floor.
And., lots of restrooms — more than 200 stalls.
Wright said they've had years to work out every last detail, from the access off I-5 to valet parking in the front.
'There should never be waiting a long time to get in,' Wright said. 'We've brought in all of the most modern equipment for tracking every detail that happens here.'
The new site, easily visible from Interstate 5, totals 310,000 square feet. The site not only encompasses the new 110,000-square-foot gaming floor but five restaurants, including a buffet, coffee shop, fine-dining restaurant that also has special booths for special occasions, a sports bar and deli.
Emerald Queen Casino Construction
There's also a 21,000-square-foot event center with a 2,000-person seating capacity that can handle everything from performing artists to e-gaming competitions and special broadcasts, which will include the Seahawks draft.
The tribe also will open a 12-story, 170-room hotel and spa later this year, which also will have conference room space and a rooftop restaurant.
Puyallup Tribal Council Chairman David Bean and Vice Chairman Bill Sterud also were on hand for Wednesday's tour and talked about how they imagine customers will react on that first visit.
'It's going to surprise many of our customers, just how incredibly beautiful it all is,' said Sterud. 'That first impact is going to be amazing.'
'The biggest thing we want our customers to see is the history, the beautiful heritage of The Puyallup Tribe of Indians,' said Bean. 'We have been gaming since the beginning of time. And when you look around this facility, you'll see the tribute to our ancestors, to our elders, thanking them for their sacrifices.'
Not only that, Bean emphasized, it also 'is going to help our tribe provide essential governmental services to our community now and into the future.'
It's not all about the machines and tables.
'There's going to be first-class quality entertainment. We're going to have a wide variety, and there's the food,' said Bean. 'I just came back from Portland and from a regional gathering, and everyone from up and down the coast has heard about the facility or driven by it. They've seen it and can't wait for it to open.'
Wedding planning with a hotel package also is in the works, complete with drone photography.
Wright said one of his doctors called him after they first turned on the LED light system outside.
'He had just got out of surgery, and he called me up in the middle of the night just to tell me how excited he was for the opening,' Wright said.
Wright admits this is a dream come true for him, the tribe and everyone he works with.
'I don't think anybody in the Northwest has been able to put together a facility like this,' he said, 'with this much attention to detail and beauty. And, I mean from every every step through this facility, it continues to change significantly. And it's laid out in a fashion that allows people to flow through the facility without feeling like they are lost.'
Wright, even though he's walked through it countless times, still marvels at the lights, interior design, even the kitchen, much larger than the original riverboat version, which could serve 10,000 meals a day.
The new one could handle 25,000 meals on a busy day, Wright estimated.
'And now everyone can do their jobs in comfort,' he said. 'Everything's new. The coolers are all labeled, so you don't mix food items. And every cooler temperature is recorded,' with digital displays on the front.
A separate room is just for produce prep, to avoid any risk of cross-contamination.
The facility plans to add more than 200 jobs, eventually employing an estimated 2,450, including current workers who will transfer to the new site.
The tribe estimates the new casino and operations will add $1.5 billion to the local economy over the next decade.
They're hiring now. Those seeking more information can check out employment information at emeraldqueen.com/careers/.
All of this helps solidify the tribe's status as one of the top employers in Pierce County, along with additional jobs in its health authority, school, tribal administration, cancer center and cannabis operations. According to Bean, 66 percent of its workforce overall are non-native Washingtonians.
'We are taking care of not just our community but our citizens in our neighboring communities in paying competitive-wage jobs,' he added.
Emerald Queen Casino Construction Projects
Wright agreed and noted its importance as an anchor, particularly for the Eastside.
'When you have a facility like this, it becomes a magnet,' he said, drawing other entities to open, such as fast food, gas stations, laundry cleaners, grocery stores. 'They'll start springing up because of this.'
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Emerald Queen Casino Construction
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