In Pine Bluff, Arkansas, members of the local community joined officials from Saracen Resort Casino and construction crews to celebrate a new milestone in the development of Saracen’s 14-story hotel. The topping-off ceremony marked the completion of the hotel’s structural framework with the placement of the final beam.
“That’s the final major exterior construction. And by that going up, it’s going to give us the opportunity to go inside and start working on the stuff that’s not so easy to see, and it takes a lot of time and care to be able to do that,” stated Wena Supernaw, Business Committee Chair for the Quapaw Nation, which owns the casino.
The Quapaw Nation’s substantial investment in Arkansas now exceeds half a billion dollars, adding a new high-end hotel and a 1,600-seat event center to Saracen’s growing footprint.
Carlton Saffa of Saracen Casino Resort described the topping-off as a significant checkpoint. “Now, you can see it from miles away. So about 200 feet in the air, you’ll see the top beam of this property, which means we’ve reached the pinnacle of the construction of the skeleton of the building,” he said, as per THV11.
Today marks an exciting milestone for Saracen Casino as we celebrated the topping off of our new hotel! 🏗️ Local officials and members of our community joined us in placing the final beam, bringing us one step closer to opening our doors next year. We can’t wait to welcome you… pic.twitter.com/itUPyPWRP9
— Saracen Casino Resort (@SaracenCasinoAR) October 29, 2024
Saffa credited the construction crews for their efforts and shared that the hotel is on track to open in fall 2025. After the ceremony, hundreds of workers were honored with a celebratory meal.
The new hotel will include 320 rooms, further enhancing Saracen’s appeal to visitors from Arkansas and beyond. Saffa noted that about 70% of Saracen’s employees reside locally in Jefferson County, while a majority of patrons come from Little Rock. He emphasized that the new hotel will encourage out-of-town guests to extend their stays, benefiting the local economy.
Supernaw also expressed gratitude to the local government, including Mayor Shirley Washington and other officials, for their continued support. She said that local leaders have shown unwavering support since the project’s inception.
Saracen Casino, which opened in October 2020, currently features 1,700 slot machines, 40 table games, and Arkansas’ only poker room, alongside the award-winning Red Oak Steakhouse. The hotel’s lobby and the accompanying event center are set to open next fall.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/noticias/2024/11/01/83879-arkansas-saracen-casinos-new-hotel-reaches-construction-milestone-with-toppingoff-ceremony
