The casino, in Auburn, Washington, about 30 miles south of Seattle, closed in March as the coronavirus pandemic started shutting down much of the U.S. They view the dragon as artwork that will resonate with customers, he said. “It’s like a perfect marriage for it to be here,” Maldonado said.Ĭasino bosses weren’t worried the sculpture would bring bad luck after the Lucky Dragon’s brief, volatile run, according to Muckleshoot general manager Conrad Granito. Made in the Czech Republic, the dragon spans nearly 15 feet, nose to tail, and features 288 hand-blown glass orbs and 762 customized glass scales, according to a fall 2016 news release from the Lucky Dragon. Plus, western Washington is a hub for custom glass art, and locals appreciate the craft, according to Junior Maldonado, Muckleshoot’s gaming business leader and a member of the tribe that owns the casino. Walker said management believes the dragon will help the Washington casino dominate the market for Asian gamblers and “bring excitement and good fortune to all our guests.” Muckleshoot executives did not disclose the dragon’s purchase price.Īhern did not respond to requests for comment. Johnny Walker, Muckleshoot’s executive director of gaming, said they bought the sculpture from Las Vegas businessman Don Ahern, who purchased the shuttered Lucky Dragon last year and renamed it Ahern Hotel. But the resort flamed out fast, and now Muckleshoot bosses hope the dragon will boost the casino’s popularity with its own Asian gamblers. The Lucky Dragon’s former centerpiece was supposed to bring “luck and good fortune” to its guests, a news release once touted, and was suspended above the casino floor. Muckleshoot Indian Casino bought the one-and-a-quarter-ton glass dragon sculpture last month and plans to install it in a new high-limit room this summer, representatives said.

(Muckleshoot Indian Casino)Ī casino outside Seattle that reopened Tuesday is set to feature a glitzy leftover from a failed Las Vegas resort: the Lucky Dragon’s dragon. Muckleshoot Indian Casino in Auburn, Washington, seen here, has purchased the glass dragon chandelier that used to be inside the former Lucky Dragon in Las Vegas.

Dragon slot machine muckleshoot casino