Cowlitz Indian Tribe finally opened its $510m casino complex in Southwest Washington yesterday, after years of legal battles.

Thousands of gambling enthusiasts attended the Monday morning launch of ilani Casino Resort, to which developers are hoping to attract about 4.5m visitors annually and create more than 1200 jobs.

“This is a triumphant moment for The Cowlitz Indian Tribe because it marks the end of a 160-year journey back to our homeland, and the beginning of a new journey,” Tribal Chairman William Iyall told the Seattle Times.

The project faced opposition from The Confederate Tribes of Grande Rode (CTGR) and various other bodies over five years ago before its construction, and indeed, the casino took seven years to be completely approved. Due to the casino’s location in the Portland area, the CTGR estimated that their own casino in Oregon, Spirit Mountain, could see its revenues drop by $100m a year.

After many years of campaigning and court fights, ilani Casino Resort is now one of the largest casino-resort operations in the area, and will eventually feature up to 2500 slots and 75 game tables, as well as 15 shops, bars and restaurants. There are also future plans to build a hotel.