A major destination in the southwest Twin Cities is growing.
Mystic Lake Casino and Hotel’s new hotel with a convention center is anticipated to open to guests by the end of 2017. Construction is slated to begin in April 2016.
The new hotel tower, which will be attached to the current Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, will feature a state-of-the-art convention center overlooking The Meadows at Mystic Lake championship golf course with three-story windows. The new 70,000-square-foot convention center will contain two large ballrooms and several smaller breakout meeting rooms. This new hotel convention space will be the fourth-largest in the metro area.
The convention center will include outdoor patio space and an executive boardroom with a balcony overlooking the golf course. The new nine-story hotel tower will feature 180 rooms, many of which will capture a stunning western view of The Meadows at Mystic Lake. It will not include additional gaming.
“We are always working to identify new opportunities that will enhance Mystic Lake Casino Hotel as a full-service resort. Adding this first-class hotel tower and convention space will meet the growing demand and help set the tone for our 25th anniversary in 2017,” said Edward Stevenson, president/CEO of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) Gaming Enterprise, which operates Mystic Lake and Little Six Casino.
With the additional hotel rooms, Mystic Lake Casino Hotel will have the second-largest hotel in the metro area, and the third-largest in the state.
“Any time a major entertainment venue in our region makes improvements, it benefits the rest of the entertainment in the region,” said Randy Sampson, president and CEO of Canterbury Park in Shakopee. “Canterbury Park is excited for the additional visitors this new hotel and convention center will attract to the southwest metro.”
The project is expected to create up to 400 total construction jobs and about 100 permanent jobs in the region. Mystic Lake and the SMSC are currently in the process of selecting a general contractor.
In addition to the new tower, all of the existing hotel rooms at Mystic are being remodeled to reflect a more upscale and modern experience. The remodeling will be complete by the end of 2015.
Since its federal recognition in 1969, the SMSC has worked diligently to achieve self-sufficiency and a meaningful level of self-determination. The SMSC donated $27,916,775 million in 2013, according to the most recent 2014 donation report.