Published August 2001

Tulalips’ plans will benefit north county

The Tulalip Tribes’ blockbuster announcement of the build-out details for their regional Quil Ceda Village business park, lodging and entertainment community is an impressive testimonial to the tribal leaders’ vision and accomplishments.

More than a decade ago, the tribes made Tulalip Bingo an entertainment destination for thousands of people each month, even attracting busloads of Canadians from north of the border.

Then, in 1993, the Tulalips added a casino, and thousands more headed to their reservation’s entertainment center.

Today, the casino’s popularity has pushed bingo into a new home of its own on the southwest corner of Quil Ceda Village; a Wal-Mart store is open; a Home Depot is ready to open next door; a small retail center is nearing completion at the south end; and the Tulalips have announced details for the rest of the development — details that are amazing, both individually and collectively.

Consider the impact the village will have on future north county growth:

• A $72 million, 227,000-square-foot casino will be ready to open by September 2002.
• A 30,000-square-foot fun center will feature go-cart tracks, miniature golf, arcades and other family entertainment.
• A 1,500-seat mini-amphitheater for entertainment performances.
• A 20-acre water park will help make the development a regional entertainment destination, with visitors staying at two new hotels and an RV park planned for the site.
• Adjacent to the hotels will be a convention center that will draw people locally, regionally and even nationally for conferences and trade shows.
• At the north end of the site will be a 500,000-square-foot outlet mall on a 55-acre site, scheduled to open in early 2003. National retailers that have shown interest include Anne Klein, Banana Republic, Bass, Giorgio Armani, Nautica, Perry Ellis, Polo Ralph Lauren, Mikasa, Tom Hilfiger and Liz Claiborne.

And that’s just the part of the 2,000-acre Tulalip site that stretches along I-5 between the 88th Street NE and 116th Street NE interchanges. The back half of the site is planned for business offices, light industrial manufacturers and perhaps even a four-year college.

Population will continue to grow in north Snohomish County, along with the business community, as it has for the past decade. The rapid growth in retail and service businesses at the Smokey Point interchange just to the north of the Tulalip site is a prime example of the strength of the area economy.

The Tulalip project will accelerate area growth — and competition.

“The Quil Ceda Business Park is already serving as a catalyst for unprecedented economic growth for Marysville and its neighboring communities to the north,” said Caldie Rogers, President/CEO of the Greater Marysville Tulalip Chamber of Commerce. “The recently approved Marysville downtown revitalization plans will play a key role in attracting tourist dollars into our city coffers.”

Some people are envious of the Tulalips’ accomplishments; some business owners are worried about how they will survive against this competitive new mega-rival; and others are concerned about traffic issues.

Clearly, the area’s business community will need to be creative in finding ways to share in the wealth generated by the presence of the Tulalip business park and the 8 million expected to visit annually.

Our nation’s free-enterprise system has always provided opportunities for people with vision and ideas, those with enough courage to take risks. Being successful is a challenge for those who launch new ventures and those who must compete to stay in business. The success of the Tulalips’ Quil Ceda development will no doubt produce a healthier, more robust economy for the entire north county area along the I-5 corridor.

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