In addition to the Last Frontier, the Palace Casino still operates in the city. The closure of the New Phoenix Casino will leave La Center with two card rooms. “We remain very optimistic about the future.’’ “We intend to continue to make the Last Frontier the first choice for our customers,’’ he said. Bockmier said there were no immediate plans for the use of the building that served as home to the New Phoenix for the past 26 years.īockmier said he is hopeful the Last Frontier Casino, which first opened in La Center in 1987, would continue to thrive in spite of the upcoming opening of the ilani Casino.
“The ability to get skilled workers in the gaming industry is limited in this community,’’ Bockmier told .īockmier was unable to confirm how many employees had left the New Phoenix and Last Frontier casinos in recent months or how many would be affected by the decision to close the New Phoenix, which also includes the closure of a chinese restaurant in the same building. As the days have neared to the expected opening of the ilani Casino, Bockmier says more and more employees are leaving the La Center card rooms to go to work for the Cowlitz Tribe’s casino, which will boast a 100,000-square-foot gambling floor with 2,500 slot machines, 75 table games and a high-stakes gaming room in addition to its planned dining/retail space with 15 restaurants, bars and retail stores.
