7/03/08

Low-key opening for luxury hotel

by Beckye Randall

Tulalip Resort president Ken Kettler was excited and maybe just a little nervous before the new luxury hotel began receiving guests on June 20.

“We’re ready,” he told members of the Marysville Tulalip Chamber of Commerce during an informal tour. “Our team has been working very hard for this day but it’s all been worth it.”

The hotel was expecting about 220 guests to check in over the weekend, tagged as a “soft” opening. Rooms on floors three through eight of the 12-story structure were ready for visitors, although some amenities are still under construction.

The Cedars Café, formerly located in the Tulalip Casino, has been moved to the hotel and also opened on June 20 with 24-hour service. A new seafood restaurant is scheduled to take its place in the casino’s dining area.

Among the hotel’s total capacity of 363 rooms are more than 20 specialty suites. Each suite has been designed for a particular clientele, including one that features high-tech gadgetry.

“When you come into the room, a camera takes your picture and can create a holographic image,” said Kettler. “The artwork is all digital and can be changed to suit your moods.”

Another suite is designed to entertain gamers with a full-size pool table and a selection of video games hooked up to a high-definition flat screen TV.

The vanishing-edge pool, with its cascading waterfall and expansive glass ceiling, is still under construction, but the entry’s massive welcoming figure and story poles offer an impressive greeting to visitors. The lobby is filled with exquisite native artwork that complements the understated elegance of the hotel’s interior.

Brett Magnan, executive vice-president of operations, expressed confidence that the facility will successfully attract its share of conventions and business meetings. “It compares very favorably with Seattle hotels,” said Magnan. “Our meeting and reception space is flexible enough to accommodate both small and very large events.”

The resort, part of the Tulalip Gaming Organization, is expected to generate tourism dollars for the local economy while providing about 450 new job opportunities, two-thirds of which have been filled.

An official grand opening celebration is planned for mid-August.