Cowlitz Indian Reservation — Ilani Casino Resort, the $510 million casino that took over a decade to bring to reality, is here.

The casino opened at 10 a.m. Monday with a ribbon-cutting and ceremony. After the event at the casino, at Exit 16 of Interstate 5 near La Center, the casino is open seemingly for good — 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Traffic was backed up nearly a mile on Interstate 5 as of 10 a.m. from Exit 16.

Behind the doors of Ilani — pronounced ay-lah-nay, the Cowlitz word for “sing” — lie 2,500 slot machines, 75 card tables and a handful of restaurants and shops. Slots range from penny slots to $5 denominations.

The game floor encompasses 100,000 square feet. One-third of the floor is set aside for non-smokers, and casino officials boast of its high-tech ventilation system designed to keep the air clean. The casino’s gaming floor is restricted to guests ages 21 and older.