Ilani Casino Resort, the $500 million facility being developed primarily by Cowlitz and Mohegan tribes in north Clark County, announced two big hires this week.
Executives Al Muma and Jeffrey Walker, both with more than a decade of casino experience, will become vice presidents of human resources and gaming, respectively.
Muma will oversee hiring and the structuring of the casino’s internal infrastructure, the casino said. Ilani plans to house 15 restaurants, bars and retail outlets, on top of its gaming offerings, employing hundreds of people.
Walker, on the other hand, will manage the casino’s gaming. At least 100,000 square feet of gaming space is blueprinted at Ilani, including 2,500 slots and 80 tables.
“It is critical to the success of Ilani that we hire the best casino and gaming professionals. Both Al and Jeff have worked at some of the top properties in the country,” said Kara Fox-LaRose, general manager and president of the casino, in a statement.
Muma previously worked at Snoqualmie Casino in Snoqualmie, Treasure Island Resort & Casino in Minnesota and Little River Casino in Michigan.
Walker previously served as vice president of table games at Mohegan Sun Pocono in Pennsylvania.
Ilani is slated to open spring 2017 on the Cowlitz Tribe reservation, just off of Interstate 5 near La Center. Once built, it will become the largest and closest casino to Portland. The project is being developed in partnership with Salishan-Mohegan LLC, a subsidiary of the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, of Connecticut.
