OKEECHOBEE, Fla. — There’s a new Seminole Casino coming to Okeechobee, and a “topping out” ceremony was held to celebrate a significant construction milestone.
At the ceremony, a beam covered in signatures was raised to mark the halfway point of the project, and the builders hope it's the start of big things to come.
A crowd gathered in front of the new Seminole Brighton Bay Hotel and Casino, wearing their hardhats, to take in this important moment.
Marty Johns, the general manager of the casino, shared his excitement, saying, "As the beam was flying over to be put in place, you really start to feel the excitement and the power behind that."
The facility will include 38,000 square feet of casino space, a hotel, restaurants, and a bowling alley – a first for a Seminole Casino. Johns believes this will be a significant tourism driver for the Lake O area.
"People are coming to the center of the state wanting to get out of the hustle and bustle of the city, and we have our seasonal people that come to see us. They'll come out and play bingo with us and enjoy what we have to offer," Johns explained.
Johns said the new hotel can also house anglers during Lake O fishing tournaments and will create more than 600 jobs. To make all this happen, the project brought infrastructure improvements, too.
"From South at 78 all the way to State Road 70 – that whole stretch of road is going to be redone," Johns said.
The grand opening of the casino is expected at the end of January.
