Oregon: Wildhorse Resort & Casino's $100 million expansion on track for 2027 completion

Construction of Wildhorse Resort & Casino's $100 million expansion project is advancing at a pace and on track for 2027 completion, according to local media reports.

The development includes a 10-story hotel tower with 214 rooms, including standard, luxury, and executive suites. Once completed, the Oregon resort’s total lodging inventory will exceed 400 keys, approximately doubling current capacity.

A new 15,000-square-foot convention center and banquet kitchen will support events of up to 1,500 guests. The multi-purpose venue is designed for live entertainment, concerts, and special events.

Plans also include a new resort-style restaurant serving three meals daily, supported by a large-scale banquet kitchen built to accommodate conventions and group functions.

The new hotel tower replaces the 28-year-old Courtyard Hotel, which opened in 1996 and was identified as the first hotel built by a tribal casino. The property was ceremonially commemorated on August 19, 2024, with demolition beginning the following day. Groundbreaking for the current project took place in June 2025.

After eight months of construction, crews are preparing for a topping-off ceremony scheduled for March 25, reports Apple Valley News Now.

“We do have a topping off ceremony scheduled for the 25th of March, and we plan to have the structure all in place, and we'll set our ceremonial beam at that time and move forward,” said Ian Heyn, project superintendent for Lydig, the contractor overseeing the build.

The topping-off ceremony will occur when the highest structural beam is installed, a customary milestone in commercial construction projects.

Wildhorse Resort & Casino is owned by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Tribal representatives said gaming revenue provides discretionary income for the tribal government and program funding.

“It'll provide another source. And the only source of discretionary income that the tribe can use to fund its programs,” a tribal representative explained. “And then, gaming is all about funding for different activities of the tribe, so we can fund tribal government, general welfare.”

The additional indoor space is intended to accommodate major business conventions, corporate meetings, large weddings, and social celebrations. The facility is scheduled to host the 2026 Pacific Northwest Endurance Rides convention.

Gary George, CEO of Wildhorse Resort and Casino, said regional support has played a key role in the project’s progress.

“We're really excited about what we've been able to do with the property here in eastern Oregon and Pendleton, Oregon,” George said. “You know, it's not a typical site where you would see a big casino like this, being developed or constructed. But, we've gotten great support from the whole region, including Tri-Cities, Walla Walla.”

The $100 million project represents one of the larger private developments in the Pendleton area in recent decades. When completed in 2027, the property will combine increased hotel capacity, convention facilities, and food-and-beverage operations to serve both gaming patrons and group event clients across eastern Oregon and neighboring markets.