If Inslee concurs, STEP project will be Hard Rock Spokane

SPOKANE (July 1, 2015) — The Spokane Tribe’s casino and hotel project, which is supported by the Washington State Labor Council, took another step toward becoming a reality this week as the Tribe announced they have signed a Letter of Intent with Las Vegas-based HRHH IP, LLC to bring the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino brand to the proposed development in Airway Heights.

The Spokane Tribe Economic Project (STEP) would invest $400 million into Spokane County and create an estimated 5,000 jobs. On June 15, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced its approval of the project, determining that STEP “is in the best interest of the Tribe and not detrimental to the surrounding community.” The final decision now rests with Gov. Jay Inslee, who has up to 18 months to concur with the Interior Department and allow the project to proceed.

Jeff Johnson, President of the Washington State Labor Council, has written Inslee a letter urging him to greenlight the project, saying it “will be a major economic engine to the region and provide thousands of jobs for both tribal members as well as the general public.”

While the building and construction industry has begun to rebound from the “Great Recession,” it has not come back evenly across the state. The STEP will create a significant boost to building and construction trade jobs in Spokane County and Eastern Washington. This in turn will be a stimulus to opening positions in our apprenticeship programs to train our future workforce. This would be a win for everyone… We, in labor, are excited about the possibility of working together to build and operate STEP.

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is one of the most iconic and widely recognizable names and brands worldwide, according to a press release announcing the deal. Displaying an extensive collection of rare rock-n-roll memorabilia, Hard Rock Hotel & Casinos are “premier entertainment destinations.”

The Tribe is confident that the experience for all of Spokane County will be just as positive as the impact of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City, which opened in August 2014. Sioux City Mayor Bob Scott said: “Our relationship with the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino property in Sioux City has been great for the community. The property has been an active part of the community and they understand the importance of investing back into the community.”

Learn more about the project at STEPSpokane.com.