Word has it that if someone is seated at his table when he arrives, his practice is to buy that party’s dinner and drinks. A spokesperson for ilani said Jordan looks forward to visiting the Ridgefield location, but has not set a date yet for his first visit. Inside each restaurant is a table for Michael Jordan. The Michael Jordan’s Stake House restaurant inside ilani is one of only four locations in the world. Chandeliers represent the hats that The Cowlitz wear – serving as both a shade from the elements, and as a basket used to forage for berries. Long horizontal lights inside the casino represent dragging baskets that The Cowlitz would put behind their boats to catch fish. Ilani is pronounced “ay-lah-nay” and means “sing” in the Cowlitz language. If you don’t know how to play a particular game, ilani staff will walk you through it. The casino’s 100,000-square-foot gaming floor has 2,500 slot machines and 75 gaming tables featuring blackjack, roulette, midi baccarat, craps and pai gow poker. According to ilani President and GM Kara Fox-LaRose, Donald Trump “loved the site,” but the Cowlitz ultimately chose a different direction and decided to work with the Mohegan Tribe. In 2001, the Trump organization showed interest in partnering with the Cowlitz Tribe on a casino/resort. The card illustrations were created by an artist who is a member of The Cowlitz Tribe.

For example, the ace card features traditional Cowlitz canoe paddles, which were made with blades shaped in a rounded and elongated diamond. To celebrate the opening, here are ten fun facts about the casino:Īll of ilani’s face cards portray Cowlitz tribal culture and history.

The $510 million casino from the Cowlitz Tribe, the ilani Casino Resort, officially opened its doors to the public this morning.

Ilani casino and hotel