$33M Casino To Open In 2016

After many months of preparation, research, planning, meeting, designing and forecasting, the new $33 million dollar Buffalo Rivers Casino & Lodge is nearly ready to begin construction.

“To finally see this wonderful casino become a reality is very good for our tribes,” said Garrett BigLeggins, Tribal Executive Board member.

The Buffalo Rivers Casino & Lodge will break ground on June 15 and open its doors in May 2016, developers said. Located at Highway 2 and BIA 170, and just over 50 miles from Williston, N.D., Buffalo Rivers is designed to be not just a gaming facility, but also an entire entertainment and vacation destination.

The facility will have a gaming floor with 400 Vegas-style, Class III Video Gaming Machines, a 400-plus person events center, four poker tables, a 75-room hotel, a 150-person restaurant/buffet, a snack bar, a lounge that can accommodate live entertainment, and a gift shop. Aesthetically, Buffalo Rivers will strive to honor Native culture, while promoting fun and excitement.

The project will bring new jobs to the Fort Peck Reservation in both the construction of the facility, and for the operations and management of the facility. The construction phase will provide 80-100 jobs, and there will be approximately 220 full-time casino jobs, with many part-time opportunities as well. The estimated annual wage income for all casino employees is projected at just over $5.4 million.

The casino will train employees with all the skills they need to not only be successful in their current job, but to allow for real-world, marketable skills that will assist them in their career for the rest of their

working lives, project officials said.

“I believe the jobs and the training that this project will provide is a huge boost for our people,” said BigLeggins. “Both now and for our future generations.”

Buffalo Rivers will also encourage an atmosphere of employee growth, allowing strong employees to gain more responsibility in their positions year after year.

The Ft. Peck Economic Development Committee and the Tribal Executive Board will be tasked with the allocation of casino profits, with opportunities to advance and enhance Reservation health care, education, employment assistance, construction of new amenities and many other options.

To date, the Buffalo Rivers project has completed several major milestones.

The Tribal Executive Board selected the site near Fort Kipp. It then made the decision to work with the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community in Minnesota, a prosperous gaming tribe in Minnesota, as lender, in part because Fort Peck has worked with Shakopee for the last few years on the planned Poplar Wellness Center.

The Tribal Executive Board also engaged a team of experienced tribal casino professionals, and had a feasibility study prepared, which determined that the Buffalo Rivers Casino project would be sustainable and profitable.

Shakopee gave its approval for the loan in March, allowing for the creation of concrete plans regarding construction and design.

“With the diligent, good work and talent of these teams, along with the dedication of our people and our vision, Buffalo Rivers Casino is poised to be one of the most successful properties in Indian Country,” BigLeggins said. “We’re very excited for our future.”

For more information regarding the Buffalo Rivers Casino & Lodge project, the website http://www.buffaloriverscasino.com has been created for the ongoing dissemination of project details.