Construction for the new casino in Fort Hall is under way and Shoshone Bannock officials said the new venue is expected to open in March of 2018.

FORT HALL (AP)— Construction for the new casino in Fort Hall is under way and Shoshone Bannock officials said the new venue is expected to open in March of 2018.

The $35 million project was celebrated with a special groundbreaking ceremony on Oct. 19.

The project, dubbed Casino Expansion Phase II, includes a one-story 72,984-sq.-ft. (6,780 sq m) casino, an 8,084-sq.-ft. (751 sq m) bingo hall, and a corridor and storage area. And it will all connect to the Shoshone-Bannock Hotel and Event Center.

A press release from the Fort Hall Business Council earlier this month stated: “The new bingo hall will provide patrons immediate access to the games located on the casino floor as well as the food and beverage venues included in the casino project.”

The old casino will be used as office space and as a storage facility.

Ormond Builders Inc. is the contractor for the project. The Idaho Falls-based builder submitted one of several bids reviewed by the Business Council and the Tribes' project team. The team includes tribal finance and planning departments and TERO/TOSHA, and gaming staff.

“The council's unanimous decision to engage Ormond Builders of Idaho Falls is another example of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes' efforts to promote business opportunities for Eastern Idaho employers,” tribal officials stated earlier this month. “The new casino and hotel and event center will be the premier entertainment destination in the heart of the Pacific Northwest.”

The project will create about 90 jobs for a 16-month construction period in Fort Hall and Southeast Idaho, according to a press release in Nov. 2015.

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