Emerald Queen Casino

Absher Construction Company and Kitchell Contractors worked in a joint-venture partnership—rooted in decades of experience together—to build the new Emerald Queen Casino for the Puyallup Tribe of Indians. This stunning new Las Vegas-style casino and entertainment mecca in Tacoma, Washington, is easily visible from Interstate 5. It features a 200,000 SF casino with 110,000 SF gaming floor and 2,133 slot machines; five (5) restaurants, including a buffet, coffee shop, fine dining restaurant, a sports bar/lounge and deli; and a 31,000 SF events center for concerts and other entertainment with 1,700 to 2,500 seats depending on the event. The project also includes a 450,000 SF, 563-stall parking garage; as well as administrative, I.T. and facility support departments.

Native American participation was a primary goal on this project. AbsherKitchell worked closely with the Tribal Employee Rights Office and exceeded all TERO goals–employing an average of 40 tribal workers each month, for a total of nearly 250,000 total hours worked.

It’s estimated that the new Emerald Queen Casino and operations will add $1.5 billion to the local economy over the next decade and will create a multitude of competitive-wage new jobs to the local workforce, both Native and non-Native.