The Kalispel Tribe of Indians could begin work as early as next spring on infrastructure improvements for an envisioned mixed-use development on land it owns near its expanding Northern Quest Resort & Casino, in Airway Heights, says Kent Caputo, chief operating officer for the Kalispel Tribal Economic Authority.

That will depend entirely, though, on the demand for space there by prospective tenants, which for now remains mostly at a low ebb, he says.

"We'd like to see something initiated as soon as weather allows," Caputo says. He emphasizes, however, "This is a long-term plan. It's not going to move any faster for us than it is for anybody else" wanting to move forward with a commercial real estate project in this depressed economic climate.

"We're dealing with outsiders," he says, referring to retailers that the tribe will be seeking to attract to open outlets there. "It's not just the Kalispels looking at what they want" that will determine the construction timetable, he says.

The mixed-use development would be located on part of nearly 300 acres of land the tribe owns on the west side of Hayford Road. Most of that land is south of the casino. The tribe currently is wrapping up construction of a 250-room hotel and luxury spa complex next to the casino. The 10-story hotel tower is the centerpiece of a $200 million-plus, multiphase expansion project envisioned there, not including the undetermined cost of the envisioned mixed-use development.

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., announced four months ago that she had secured funding to boost a number of projects in Eastern Washington, including $1.4 million to help pay for a road extension into Kalispel land there designated for nongaming economic development.

In a press release issued by Murray's office, tribal Chairman Glen Nenema said, "The development of this property is essential to the economic diversity of the Kalispel Tribe and will significantly enhance the local economies."

Caputo says, though, that the tribe still is in preliminary discussions with the city of Airway Heights about what types of uses would be appropriate there and hasn't developed a detailed conceptual site plan yet.

Murray's office said the federal money will help pay for the construction of a north-south road between Sprague Avenue, just south of the casino complex, and U.S. 2. Caputo says, however, that the tribe hasn't decided yet on a street plan for the development site. He adds, though, that such a plan definitely will include both north-south routes—providing some access to and from U.S. 2—and east-west routes, some possibly extending eastward through the tribal property from current Airway Heights residential streets.

"We've got to determine what would be the best way to open up that whole property to development," Caputo says, but he adds that a priority will be the creation of a north-south "backbone" road extending through the tribal-owned land.

"Our goal would be to have a retail zone next to the hotel," though not one with glamorous shops like those that cater to patrons of big Las Vegas casinos, he says. What it's more likely to be—similar to what has occurred at other tribal casinos around the country—is outlet malls, he says.

"It's not high-end or glitzy. It has to be inviting and friendly," Caputo says. "It's more an architectural-style than what you're selling. It's more an enjoyable place to be."

The Spokane-area market will dictate the mix of businesses that will be located there, though it likely will include dining and entertainment venues, including spaces for festivals, powwows, and other such public gatherings, in addition to retail shops, he says. The mixed-use development hopefully will complement the offerings at Northern Quest, and provide an additional revenue source for the tribe, but it isn't crucial to the resort-casino's well-being, Caputo says.

At the new upscale hotel, several—though not all—of the guest-room floors have been completed, and Northern Quest now is accepting room reservations for dates beginning Jan. 2, but a "hard" opening won't be held until the end of March, Caputo says. The hotel will include 22 suites ranging in size up to 2,200 square feet of floor space.

Workers are scurrying to finish up most of the common areas in the hotel, including a 10,000-square-foot space that will be on the hotel's ground floor, along with a swimming pool and hot tub. The complex also will include about 5,000 square feet of meeting space, a restaurant, a lobby bar, and a gift shop, all on the second floor where the hotel lobby and reception desk also will be located. The second-floor walkway connecting the garage to the hotel will be inside a wing that also will include administrative office space.

Northern Quest, which already employs more than 1,000 people, is in the process of adding about 375 full-time equivalent employees.

The current expansion project is designed to accommodate the eventual construction of a second hotel tower and huge landscaped glass atrium. No tentative timetable has been set for those additional envisioned expansion phases, but Caputo says it's possible that some of the work might be launched at the same time as initial infrastructure work for retail shops south of the hotel.

He emphasizes, though, that the current expansion is occurring at the same time that Northern Quest, like other tribal casinos, is feeling the effects of reduced consumer spending—and gambling—due to the recession.

The tribe will proceed cautiously before committing to any additional expansion right away, he says, adding, "We're just trying to make sure we don't overplan, don't overbuild."