Rising above Interstate 5 in Tacoma, Washington, the Puyallup Tribe of Indians’ glamorous new Emerald Queen Casino is about to become an entertainment mecca that will beckon drivers to experience a bit of Las Vegas, Pacific Northwest-style.

The Emerald Queen’s journey to star status began as a modest bingo hall built in 1992. But the Tribe had a grander plan – an unrivaled entertainment destination in the greater Seattle metro area including a hotel, casino and event venue. In the summer of 2018, construction began on a brand-new $310 million casino scheduled to open in December 2019. In addition to 310,000 square feet of space for gaming, the building will also feature a 2,000-seat events center, three restaurants and a second parking garage.

The new Emerald Queen Casino balances the eye-catching flash of a Las Vegas-style resort with memorable references to Puyallup Tribal culture. The 310,000-square-foot facility, which opened June 8, relocates the tribe’s existing gaming operations to a highly visible site along Interstate 5 near downtown Tacoma, Washington. Emerald Queen Casino Construction Tacoma, monte casino bird park entrance fee 2019, new barbi roulette, 1 x cnr slot. January 12, 2018. African Diamond.

“It will have everything we could have dreamed of,” said Emerald Queen Casino General Manager Frank Wright. “It’s going to be fantastic.”

Process meets product to create harmonious efficiency

When a concept has merit, its adoption populates industry consciousness quickly. Offsite construction is a scheduler’s nirvana. A temperature-regulated, professional work environment replaces scaffolding holding crewmembers at perilous heights. Rain, snow, temperature and wind are locked into the construction approach of the past – forever neutralized. The seriously innovative are the early adopters – architects, contractors and product manufacturers.

When Cunningham Group Architecture (CGA) was awarded the project, the firm recognized that panelized construction would be the ideal process. Since the casino would be built above an existing three-story parking structure, traditional construction would require crews to work hundreds of feet in the air, and the rainy Seattle climate could cause weather delays. With panelized construction, most of the work would take place in a climate-controlled warehouse.

Georgia-Pacific applied the same efficiency principles to DensElement® Barrier System – eliminating an application step, shortening cure time and enabling the same crew to both install and finish. By adding exponential efficiency in the sheathing process, time and labor savings are realized. In addition, factory output is increased.

Having recently used DensElement® Barrier System on a 21-story mixed-use tower in Portland, Oregon, the selected panelizer, Western Partitions, Inc. (WPI), knew it was ideal for the new Emerald Queen.

“We knew the feasibility of getting workers onto the building to install sheathing and the specified fluid-applied Water Resistive and Air Barrier (WRB-AB) just wasn’t there,” said Nathan Sumison, WPI’s Estimator and Project Manager. “That’s why we proposed DensElement Barrier System. When we don’t have to have men installing a fluid-applied WRB-AB in a boom lift or on a swing state or a scaffold, it saves a lot of time and increases the safety factor. I’d estimate we saved 50% in overall labor by not having to install a fluid-applied barrier onsite.”

With DensElement Barrier System, no separate WRB-AB is needed. By filling microscopic voids in the glass mat and gypsum core of DensElement® Barrier System via AquaKor™ Technology, a hydrophobic, monolithic surface is created that blocks bulk water while retaining vapor permeability. It eliminates an application step – both in the factory and on the job site. There’s no cure time slowing crews down, plus it’s protected during transportation.

“The speed that we can put DensElement® Barrier System through our facility is amazing to me,” reflected Matt Wallace, WPI’s panelization facility manager. “We’re able to put the sheathing on the panel, seal the seams and hit the screws with PROSOCO R-Guard® FastFlash®, and have it dry and ready for whatever process we have next. Rather than having to inspect every square inch of surface like you do with a fluid-applied barrier, we only have to make sure that the PROSOCO was applied at the right mil thickness. The overall time savings for us is just tremendous.”

The fact that DensElement® Barrier System is available in 12-foot sheets was also a boon for the project.

“Other sheathing products are only available in 4’x8′ sheets,” Sumison explained.
The panels we built for the Emerald Queen were 12 feet wide, so we were able to quickly and easily lay the 12-foot sheets of DensElement like railroad track. Our team didn’t have to make cuts, which saved time, and there were hardly any leftover scraps, which helped minimize waste and save money.”

Easier to transport, quicker to install

Wallace’s team constructed and shipped approximately 300 panels to the Emerald Queen job site.

“By using DensElement, we were able to use drywall sleuters – special boards we place in between the panels for transport,” Wallace remarked. “Panels with a fluid-applied WRB-AB tend to stay tacky, and we’ve had problems with whatever protection was in between them sticking and ripping the fluid-applied off.”

Once the panels arrived, crews immediately began installing them on the structure.

“Using DensElement, we don’t have to be out on the building as much,” Sumison added. “We can hang the panels, hit the screw heads, joints and seams, walk away and we’re done – it doesn’t get any easier than that.”

Proven performance inspires confidence

Wallace estimates the panels were left exposed for approximately three weeks before the cladding was installed.

“That’s another great thing about DensElement,” Sumison continued. “We can hang it in any type of weather, and the PROSOCO R-Guard® FastFlash® can be applied to damp surfaces, which has helped us with this project.”

Both Wallace and Sumison view DensElement® Barrier System as their system of choice for all their projects moving forward.

“My crew and I definitely prefer it,” Wallace said. “It’s faster and easier to work with than the fluid applied. They can get their footages and then move the panels out of the way to get working on the next one right away.”

Efficiency and schedule control are hallmarks of offsite construction, but using DensElement® Barrier System adds exponential productivity by eliminating the application step and cure time that comes with fluid-applied products. Add in the reduced quality control time – just checking fasteners, penetrations and seams instead of the entire surface – and your production schedule is shortened considerably.

“It’s the product we want to work with on all of our jobs with exterior sheathing,” Sumison concluded. “It just makes sense.”

This article is intended solely as general information. Ultimately, the design and detailing of any project, assembly or system is the responsibility of a professional, and all projects must comply with applicable building codes and standards. For information concerning the limited warranty for the DensElement® Barrier System, visit www.denselement.com. GP Gypsum disclaims any responsibility or liability for the architecture, design, engineering or workmanship of any project, assembly or system.

By Guest Author, Brett Ewing, AIA, NCARB
Architectural Photography by Doug Walker Photography

The new Emerald Queen Casino balances the eye-catching flash of a Las Vegas-style resort with memorable references to Puyallup Tribal culture.

The 310,000-square-foot facility, which opened June 8, relocates the tribe’s existing gaming operations to a highly visible site along Interstate 5 near downtown Tacoma, Washington.

The full-service gaming facility includes approximately 100,000 square feet of slots and table games, a 2,000-seat event center, five food and beverage venues and two parking garages with direct access to the gaming floor.

Raising the Bar

The design and integration of Emerald Queen Casino into Tacoma’s urban infrastructure sets a ground-breaking precedent for the future of gaming. As Tribes begin pursuing developments closer to cities to increase their return on investment, new solutions are necessary for an urban site to accommodate the expanse of a gaming floor.

The project utilizes an innovative solution to fitting a large gaming facility gracefully within the urban fabric. Due to site and infrastructure constraints, the gaming floor and amenities are strategically placed four levels above the ground floor, spanning over two city streets and supported structurally by two parking garages. This approach creates a breathtaking building that is highly visible from the highway and provides panoramic views to downtown and to the culturally significant Mt. Rainier and Puget Sound.

Emerald Queen Casino reclaims the lost space above a restrictive city grid, effectively modifying the footprint of traditional gaming facilities. The design team implemented original strategies and navigated the limitations of air rights to design within the legal parameters of upward urban development. The casino breaks the rules of traditional gaming design and paves the way to a new future for urban Tribal entertainment facilities.

There are growing opportunities for Tribes across the country to build gaming facilities within urban settings on unclaimed land trusts. Emerald Queen Casino is the first of its kind to build above ground spanning multiple sites and streets.

Celebrating Culture within Design

Emerald Queen Casino brings the glitz and glamour of a Las Vegas-style resort to the Pacific Northwest, while paying homage to Puyallup Tribal culture. The design team collaborated with Puyallup cultural leaders to develop an interior design concept that celebrates and tells the story of the relationship between culture and Tribal land base. Coast Salish artwork created by Puyallup Tribal members is featured throughout the facility.

Guests experience both the flash of Las Vegas and the Puyallup Tribe’s rich history concurrently. When approaching the entrance, patrons are received with open arms by two wooden welcoming figures, carved in the style of the regional Tribes of the Pacific Northwest by Puyallup Tribal member Shaun Peterson. The figures’ outstretched arms and upward palms signify welcome and acceptance.

The casino also distinguishes itself among the major players in the gaming industry by incorporating large windows and daylighting into the gaming floor, maintaining guests’ connection with nature and providing sweeping views of Mt. Rainier, Puget Sound and downtown Tacoma.

The casino’s interior is finely crafted through many layers of functional and aesthetic considerations. From the organization of the casino floor, to the fluid ribbon geometry and the carefully selected materials – every aspect of the design contributes to an exciting, immersive and vibrant experience, emblematic of Las Vegas.

The food venues are strategically positioned along the casino perimeter, which allows for an open and flexible layout of the gaming floor. Curving pathways take casino guests on a journey and amplify their sense of discovery.

Ribbon ceiling elements draw visitors deeper into the space and highlight a rich elegance and feeling of luxury through the use of thousands of sparkling crystals, highly reflective finishes and dynamic lighting.

Emerald Queen Casino Construction 2018 Map

Many elements of the design are purposefully organic, which allows for renewed experiences as people move around the gaming floor and unites Las Vegas glamour with culturally-informed design.

Interior elements subtly weave in and draw influence from the textures, shapes and colors of the mountain, river, forests and sound that define Puyallup Tribal land. Traditional and contemporary Puyallup art, cultural patterns and language adorn the casino. Additional pieces of artwork by Peterson, including a mural and story poles, ornament the casino’s interior. From the bold black and red exterior to the organic textures that give life to the interior, a powerful, modern and resilient Puyallup culture is expressed.

Emerald Queen Casino Construction 2018 Update