It’s been years in the making, and the Muckleshoot Indian tribe recently held its ceremonial ribbon cutting for the Tribal opening of the Muckleshoot Casino Resort. “We’ve been waiting for this for at least 11 years,” said Yvonne Johnson, Muckleshoot Casino director of resort operations. “It’s been a long time coming, and we’re excited to present it to everyone.” The grand opening was held in January, and guests were treated to giveaways and entertainment. The ceremonial event featured esteemed Tribal members and revered Pow Wow royalty and honored veterans. “We were very excited to have hundreds of people come in and spend time with us and give us an opportunity to showcase what we’ve been working on,” Johnson said. “This is very important to our tribe, as well as our economic development.” The new hotel tower has 401 guestrooms, an expanded casino floor and an indoor pool coming in early spring. It will be heated with a hot tub and full-service bar. An arcade, fitness center, business center and spa are also features in the resort. A gourmet rooftop steakhouse, Smoke & Cedar, sits atop the new tower. It showcases breathtaking views of Mt. Rainier, the Olympic Mountain range and the Seattle skyline. “Smoke & Cedar is not just a steakhouse,” Johnson said. “It’s an experience.” The resort will continue to host popular entertainment acts for concerts, comedy shows and more at its Muckleshoot Events Center. “It’s very exciting to just have more people come and experience an evening or a day with us at the Muckleshoot,” Johnson said. Johnson encourages people to enjoy the entertainment inside at the resort and casino, as well as the entertainment outside with access to nearby rivers and Mt. Rainier. You can learn more about the new hotel tower and book your stay on the Muckleshoot Casino website. Sponsored by Muckleshoot Casino Segment Producer Rebecca Perry. Watch New Day Northwest 11 a.m. weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day.