The all-new Family FunPlex at Wildhorse Resort & Casino, opened in September 2020, features a total of 24 Brunswick bowling lanes with spacious seating, eight “Boutique” lanes, two private party rooms, a bowling center bar, a fully stocked 2,500-square-foot arcade, and a new food court.

TBE Architects, a St. Louis, Missouri-based Native American-owned architectural firm, has done extensive work for Wildhorse Resort & Casino in the past, and wanted to ensure that this addition to the property would be a source of pride to both the resort and the community.

Owned by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), the bowling center’s name is inspired by tribal heritage. “Nixyáawii,” a name that the Cayuse used to describe the tribe’s winter encampment, when translated, refers to the groves of quaking aspen trees that grew around the springs.

TBE Architects included several cultural and geographically significant elements in the design of this property. The new addition needed to provide a bridge between the adult and the family entertainment areas of the property.

Linking the existing Cineplex to the gaming entrance, the team designed a new three-venue food court, providing food and beverage access not only to the new bowling center but also to the Cineplex and the gaming floor. A promenade of custom-designed carpet, specialty finishes and murals transitions the guest from the exterior.

This immerses the guest in a fresh look at the centuries-old traditions of the tribe. Two of the three venues use independent contractors who are tribal members to provide unusual and fresh food offerings.

From its conception, the integration of light and culture was critical both to the owner and the architect. A soaring light-filled concourse provides a gathering place between the standard and “Boutique” lanes. Drawing on the traditional horsemanship of the tribe, custom light fixtures remind the guest of the galloping horses across the high plateau which the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla call home.

The prominent black and red stripes within the bowling alley represent the colors of the CTUIR flag. Each of the carpeted walkways is adorned with tribal patterns reminiscent of those found in traditional woolen blankets. And above each seating area within the bowling lanes are custom blue light fixtures, symbolizing the Blue Mountains, which stretch to the east and southeast of Pendleton, Oregon.

OWNER: Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
SIZE: 2,500-square-foot arcade, 3,500-square-foot food court, 24-lane bowling center
INVESTMENT: $35 million
OPENED: September 24, 2020
ARCHITECT: TBE Architects
CONTRACTOR: Lydig Construction