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Yakama Nation breaks ground for events center

Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2001 | 9:32 a.m.

TOPPENISH, Wash. -- The Yakama Nation has started work on a $5 million events center at Legends casino.

The 3,500-seat center should be finished by April, said Jeff Connor, marketing director for the casino on the Yakama Nation reservation.

"I think we are going to be putting ourselves on the map a little bit more," said Arlen Washines, chairman of the Tribal Council's economic development committee.

Legends casino, with 500 employees, had 1.4 million visitors last year. Another 50 people will be hired with the addition of the events center, Connor said.

Council member Jerry Meninick said the casino needs the extra space for special events such as the nationally televised boxing match hosted by Sugar Ray Leonard last summer.

About 4,000 people attended the fight, and 10,000 showed up to see who won two Volkswagen Bugs in related drawings, Connor said.

"They were cheek-to-cheek at the casino. You couldn't even get a machine," Meninick said.

The casino opened in May 1998.

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