The Muckleshoot Tribe has said it has no current plans to askthe U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs to move the land into federaltrust, which would allow it to develop a casino on the property.Given that the Snoqualmie Tribe, which made a bid for the lodge, isdeveloping a casino on Interstate 90, just outside Snoqualmie citylimits, the Muckleshoot Tribe's interest in the land may be todevelop additional lodging in support of the casino. In 2004,Cornerstone had the land rezoned for a 250-room hotel, conferencecenter and 110 housing units.

Alan Tantleff, executive vice president for Jones Lang LaSalleHotels, which brokered the sale, says that is indeed the case. "TheMuckleshoot Indian Tribe will have the opportunity to bring theSalish Lodge & Spa to the next level," Tantleff says. "Theadditional parcel of land adjacent to the property is one of thekey drivers of this deal - it allows for the opportunity to developadditional hotel and residential units, thus taking the property toa whole new level."

Located 30 miles east of Seattle, the Salish Lodge & Spa isset above Snoqualmie Falls. It has a four-diamond rating and hasbeen recognized in publications such as Condè Nast Traveler,Travel+Leisure, Wine Spectator, and Wine Enthusiast. ColumbiaHospitality, which specializes in luxury hotel and resortmanagement, will operate the Salish Lodge for the Tribe under a20-year management contract.