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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (June 1, 2004)
It’s Happening at Chinook Winds in June Chinook Winds Casino and Employees Have Positive Effect on Lincoln City and County Chinook Winds Casino & Con vention Center shares a win-win relationship with Lincoln City and Lincoln County. The release of the casino’s latest financial quarterly statement shows that over the years, the local community and the casino have developed a relationship that has had a profound impact on both. Chinook Winds General Manager Jim Kikumoto realizes the importance of being active in the community. “We place a high emphasis on the role Chinook Winds plays in our area. Our goal is to not only be a business leader but a civic leader as well,’’ he said. Those employed by Chinook Winds Casino have a direct and long- lasting positive effect on the area in which they live. Of the 765 folks currently employed by Chinook Winds, 384 reside in Lincoln City, 94 in Otis, 52 in Newport, 11 in Gleneden Beach, 24 in Depoe Bay, and 45 in Neotsu. As of the end of the first quarter of 2004, Chinook Winds employees contributed $525,210 in payroll taxes. To date, their gross wages for the first quarter of this year total $5,529,067. In the last economic impact study, half of these employees would not live in the area, and therefore would not be active in the local market, if not for their employment with Chinook Winds. 28 □ Siletz News □ preferred by the Children’s Advocacy Center. For contributions to the North Lincoln Eagles and Elks Lodges Christmas Basket Program, the Bingo Department and generous Bingo players collected food and stocking stuffers. Non-Profits Benefit Buying Power Purchasing goods and services from local vendors is decidedly important to Chinook Winds Casino. As of the end of the first quarter of 2004, the casino has purchased $784,485 in goods and services from Lincoln City and Newport vendors. For 2003, the amount totaled $2,681,007. The casino’s buying power extends throughout the state, with $6,463,405 of goods and services purchased from vendors statewide in the first three months of this year. Chinook Winds values these business relationships. Oregon’s economic plight makes every vendor/client relationship imperative to the success of the city, county, and state. Money from Chinook Winds Casino also goes to local city services and area Express Menus Continue with New Entrées The Express menus at the Rogue River Room inside Chinook Winds Casino have brought great meals on board for the entire month of June. Once again, fantastic prices on breakfast, lunch, and dinner make every day in the month of May delicious. The five new Express Lunch specials for June might cause all area business meetings to be rescheduled for the lunch hours. Mondays will feature a turkey melt with mushrooms and Swiss cheese. It’s a chicken club with bacon and avocado on Tuesdays. On Wednesdays, diners can enjoy a delicious tuna salad sandwich with seasoned fries and on Thursdays, it’s an Oregon bay shrimp salad. The work week finishes on a tasty note with a grilled halibut sandwich with cheddar cheese and grilled onions. The Lunch Express specials are available Monday through Friday from non-profits. City services have received $42,500 this last quarter and $170,000 for 2003. North Lincoln Fire and Rescue has received $12,501 as of the end of the first quarter and $47,500 last year. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a new low price of just $4.95 By popular request, the Rogue River Room Early Bird menu will continue through May. This specially priced entrée of succulent prime rib will be available Monday through Friday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. for $10.95. This includes choice of soup or salad. The Breakfast Express Special gets the workday started off right. It includes two eggs any style, two sausage, two strips of bacon, hash browns, and a choice of biscuit or toast for $2.95. This amazing deal is available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. in the Rogue River Room. Sorry, no substitutions. For more information regarding the new Breakfast Express, Lunch Express, or Early Bird menus, call the Rogue River Room at 541 -996-5962. * June 2004 In the first three months of 2004, regional non-profits and community events have benefited greatly from the more than $32,002 in cash and fund raiser items donated by the casino. Some of the first quarter’s local recipients include Cub Scouts Pack 347, Depoe Bay Ducky Derby and Fleet of Flowers, Elks Lodge Hoop Shoot and Fish Fry, American Cancer Society - Lincoln Unit, Lincoln City Chamber of Commerce, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department, Lincoln County 4-H, Taft High Key Club, Lincoln City Food Pantry, Nestucca Golf Club, Oregon Red Cross - Pacific Chapter, Pacific City Pathways, Taft High School Boosters, and the list continues including church, school, charitable, and community fund-raisers. The numbers reported here do not include the community benefits distributed by the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon. Chinook Winds employees are involved in their community too. Last Christmas, they rolled up their sleeves and opened their hearts to the commu nity. When the call was sent out for food and gifts for those in need, employees came through in a really big way. To help ensure that every foster child in Lincoln County had something special for Christmas, a giving tree was set up for the Department of Human Services - Child Welfare. Among the tree’s decorations were tags marked with the gender and age of local foster children. Employees did not leave one tag unclaimed. In fact, more tags were requested to accommodate those wishing to participate. In all, at least 75 gifts were collected. At the Winner’s Circle booth, toys and stuffed animals were collected for both the Children’s Advocacy Center and My Sisters’ Place. In total, 134 toys were gathered. The stuffed animals were Staff Volunteers Six teams of volunteer staff members trimmed trees for Angels Anonymous’ annual fund-raiser, “Fantasy of Trees.” At the employee entrance and Play Palace child care center, food collection barrels were set up. It’s estimated that 500 to 600 pounds of non-perishable food was collected for the Lincoln City Food Pantry. Even though the weather was less than perfect for the SOLV Beach Cleanup, the Chinook Winds team had a large turnout. Warmly dressed staff members and families, with bags in hand, took to the beach. This year, the employees will once again gather to help make their beloved coast a more beautiful place. The casino’s events and concerts have continued to draw more and more visitors to Lincoln City and surrounding areas. As the staff plans and prepares for upcoming events, those that can be attended by all ages, are family-friendly, and require no entrance to the casino are given special care and consideration. For the rest of the year, the casino will continue to provide top-notch enter tainers and events. With each classic car show, nationally sanctioned rib-eating contest, boxing match, Robbie Knievel motorcycle jump or other stellar event, Chinook Winds Casino will support, advertise, and publicize the event with the intention of bringing new and returning visitors to the area. “Chinook Winds is in the entertain ment industry, not just gaming,” said Kikumoto. “Our effort is to be as diversified as possible, offering a little something for everyone. Reaching out to and attracting a wide tourism base to Chinook Winds and the Central Oregon Coast is our goal.”
