WAYLAND - More room for gaming, eating and entertainment is on the way to the Gun Lake Casino.

Located along U.S. 131 between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, the building trades are in the process of providing the casino about 73,000 square feet of new space - nearly double the 83,000 square-feet of space in the existing footprint of the casino, which opened in February 2011. The project is being led by construction manager Clark Construction.

Breaking into the casino's existing west wall will yield space for 500 more slot machines (there are currently 1,625) a new high-limit room, a 300-seat buffet restaurant, a new employee dining room and lounge, additional space for personal lockers, and a new Stage 131 entertainment lounge that will double the current size.

John Shaganaby, CEO of the Gun Lake Tribal Gaming Authority, said the first generation of plans for a larger casino were scaled back because of financing and government regulatory issues, "but now we're in a position to make our facility into was it was originally designed for," he said.

Structural steel at the site began to go up this spring, and work on the $75 million project is expected to wrap up in the summer of 2017. There are 20-25 members of the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians (Gun Lake Tribe) working on the project as part of an agreement with the trades and contractors.

"Clark and the trades are doing an outstanding job," Shaganaby said. "Things are moving along very well. I'd like to commend the building trades for getting our tribal members interested and involved in the trades, they certainly appreciate the opportunity."

Clark Construction Project Manager Andy Richter said a good portion of the project is still in the underground stage, but there is a roof overhead and framing has begun. He said manpower on the project would peak out at about 125. "The trades have done a good job and work together well," he said.

Currently the casino has about 800 employees, Shaganaby said the expansion would generate approximately an additional 100 permanent jobs. He said a hotel at the site has been considered, but is not currently planned.

"We're going to expand the fun," Shaganaby said. "We're centrally located with our location between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, and we offer a great product. This expansion will allow us to offer more amenities for our guests."

SETTING UP A CUT of floor-mounted Walker Duct, or “turtle heads,” at the Gun Lake Casino expansion is Robert Bonnema of IBEW Local 131, employed by Moore Electric. The ducts will allow for easy electrical service for 500 slot machines that will be placed above them on the finished  floor.

CLEARING SOME EARTH from around a floor drain he helped place at the Gun Lake Casino expansion is Dale Novotny of Plumbers and Pipe Fitters Local 357. He’s employed by R.W. LaPine.

OPENED IN 2011, the Gun Lake Casino is being expanded, with 73,000 square-feet of new space being added to the western side of the facility.