The state of Washington has taken another significant step toward strengthening its position as one of the United States' leading tribal gaming markets, as the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation prepare to formally present their Pasco Economic Development Project to the Pasco City Council on 6 July 2026. The proposal aims to develop the first tribal casino in the Tri-Cities region, creating an integrated destination that combines gaming, hospitality, dining and entertainment as a new economic engine for southeastern Washington.
The project is led by Jarred-Michael Erickson, President of the Colville Business Council, who argues that the development will generate new revenue to finance essential tribal services while expanding regional tourism. The resort is planned for a 160-acres site near Highway 395, at the intersection of North Capitol Avenue and Kartchner Road in Pasco, Franklin County. Plans include a 184,200-square-foot casino, a 200-room hotel, an event center, multiple restaurants, retail areas and supporting infrastructure. The total investment has not yet been publicly disclosed.
Before construction can begin, the tribe must complete the federal fee-to-trust process, allowing the land to be placed into federal trust status, a prerequisite for seeking gaming authorization under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) of 1988, specifically Section 20(b)(1)(A) governing gaming on off-reservation land. The regulatory process is led by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Northwest Region, directed by Bryan Mercier, while Tobiah Mogavero oversees the environmental review through the required Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, representing 12 federally recognized tribes and bands, already operate 12 Tribes Omak Casino Hotel, 12 Tribes Lake Chelan Casino, and 12 Tribes Coulee Dam Casino. The Pasco development would become their fourth gaming property and the first tribal casino in the Tri-Cities area. The project is expected to generate new jobs, attract additional tourism and further strengthen Washington's land-based gaming industry, where more than 30 tribal casinos are already in operation.
Bryan Mercier
The proposal, however, faces opposition from the Yakama Nation, led by Chairman Gerald Lewis, and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, both of which argue that the Colville Tribes lack historical ties to the Pasco area and contend that the casino would negatively impact existing tribal gaming operations. Nevertheless, the City Council presentation marks another milestone in a project that began in 2019, when the tribe acquired the property for approximately US$10.8 million, and which could reshape the future of land-based gaming in Washington.
