… We do a lot of diligence and perform a lot of analysis to come to a conclusion when it’s time to expand, and as you know, we recently completed an expansion about seven, eight months ago now. If you look at our primary market and what Gun Lake Casino was four years ago, it was really not meeting the needs of the market. The property, when I came on, was under-serving the market. In the few years you’ve been at Gun Lake Casino, how has your role evolved given the amount of growth at the property during that same time? Semola spoke with Tribal Business News about why future phases of growth will largely focus on non-gaming aspects of the property, how Gun Lake Casino will adapt its marketing strategy after the hotel comes online and how the enterprise aims to be an employer of choice. “We look forward to many years of continued challenges and successes with Sal’s leadership in his updated role.” “The Council and I are proud of the progress Gun Lake Casino has made through the years with Sal at the helm,” Tribal Chairman Bob Peters said in a statement.

“A hotel is a normal evolution in the process.”Īnother evolution of sorts is taking place for Semola, who the Gun Lake Tribal Gaming Authority Board promoted to CEO position this month in recognition of his leadership and the property’s growth. “Without having a hotel, it makes it difficult for somebody to drive two hours, three hours to get here, spend another two or three hours and then turn around and drive another couple hours back,” Semola told Tribal Business News. 131 highway between the metros of Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, the property has a good draw in the surrounding market, but offering on-side lodging will be game-changer in terms of attracting new regional customers and encouraging people to stay longer on the property, Semola said. The $300 million Phase 5 expansion will add a four-diamond hotel and striking new poolside entertainment venue that will transform the casino into a “stay and play” operation for the first time in its history. Now the property is poised to undertake perhaps its most ambitious growth since it opened in 2011.

As president and COO, Semola helped the Gun Lake Tribe execute a $100 million expansion that included three new restaurants and a sportsbook that opened in 2021.

Gun lake tribe now managing the casino