VICE CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Success of Resort
Continues
Harvard Releases Results
of Gaming’s Impact
The purchase of the Shilo Inns
Hotel, now known as the Chinook
Winds Casino Resort Hotel, continues
to be a profitable business venture for
the Siletz Tribe.
A comparison between 2003, when
occupancy was at 37 percent under
Shilo Inns management, and 2004 dur
ing the same months of the year, when
occupancy rose to 61 percent under
Chinook Winds management, is evi
dence of the tribe’s success.
As we predicted, the improved
revenue comes from the hotel, casino,
and convention center operating in
coordination with each other as a total
resort complex.
The competence of hotel and casino
staffs was tested during the New Year’s
weekend when Lincoln City, and spe
cifically Chinook Winds, was swept with
a tsunami of guests and demands for
services were made on all departments.
We are proud of the professional
ism and hard work of the Chinook
Winds team that has been responsible
for making Chinook Winds a viable
tribal business.
As has been reported previously in
Siletz News, ECONorthwest has
launched its socioeconomic impact study
of Indian gaming in Oregon, the results
of which soon will be made public.
The ECONorthwest study parallels
the national study undertaken by Harvard
University, published under the name,
“American Indians on Reservations: A
Databook of Socioeconomic Change
Between the 1990 and 2000 Censuses. ”
The Harvard study is a statistical
comparison of 15 different socioeco
nomic indicators based on the U.S.
Census during the 10-year period.
The study substantiates what had
already been revealed by other studies:
Indian gaming has had a positive so
cioeconomic impact not only on Indian
tribes, but also on neighboring non
Indian communities. The Harvard study
also reports, however, that there still are
serious socioeconomic problems
among Indians.
According to a summary of the re
port released by the National Indian
Gaming Association,
unemployment among American Indi
ans is still twice the U.S. average. Col
lege graduation rates also increased for
both gaming and non-gaming tribes,
though the U.S. average is still twice
that of Indians.”
The findings of the ECONorthwest
study will be reported in Siletz News as
soon as they are available.
Commission on Indian
Services
Vice Chairman Jessie Davis
“Some key findings of the report
reveal that gaming tribes increased their
median household income by 35 percent,
non-gaming tribes increased theirs by
15 percent. While this growth is signifi
cant, the median household income for
Indians remains just under half that of
the U.S. population. Family poverty for
gaming tribes decreased by 11.8 per
centage points; non-gaming tribes
decreased by 6.9 percentage points. Yet,
the family poverty rate for Indians is still
three times that of the U.S. average.
Unemployment also decreased for both
Nuu-wee-ya’
gaming and non-gaming tribes, but
The Oregon Commission on Indian
Services held its first meeting Jan. 5.
All representatives nominated by the
nine Tribal Councils in Oregon were
confirmed by the Oregon Legislature.
For the first time in several years, all
nine representatives were re-appointed.
Karen Quigley, executive director,
commented that since the representa
tives remain the same this year as they
were last year, there will be continuity
in the work of the commission.
By acclamation, Jay Minthorn
(Umatilla) was elected chairman and
Alan Foreman (Klamath) was elected
vice chairman. Representing the
Oregon Legislature are Kate Brown for
the Senate and Tom Butler for the
House of Representatives.
(our words)
Introduction to the Athabaskan Language
Open to tribal members of all ages
Siletz
Salem
Siletz Tribal Community Center
Feb. 15-6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
March 14-6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Salem Area Office
Feb. 8-6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
March 15-6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Portland
Eugene
Portland Area Office
Feb. 14-6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
March 8-6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Eugene Area Office
Feb. 7-6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
March 7-6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Tribal members who need help or instruction on cultural projects should
contact the Siletz Culture Department. We can assist you prior to the
language classes.
For more information, contact Bud Lane at the Siletz Cultural Department
at 1-800-922-1399, ext. 1320, or 541-444-8320, or e-mail budl@ctsi.nsn.us;
or Selene Rilatos at the Siletz Culture Department at 1-800-922-1399,
ext. 1246, or 541-444-8246, or e-mail selener@ctsi.nsn.us.
j
■
2005 Charitable Contributions j
Advisory Board
j
$
The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians has established a Charitable ■
■ Contributions Advisory Board to distribute profits from Chinook Winds ■
■ Casino Resort. The advisory board will consist of one Siletz Tribal Council ■
■ member, three Siletz Tribal members, two non-tribal members from Lincoln j
। County, and one member of the gerenal public from the tribe’s service area, j
.
Term of office is three years. Siletz Tribal members interested in serving.
। on this committee must fill out the following form and return it to the address !
_ below by Feb. 28, 2005.
J
J
J
.
Please send your application to Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians,
■Attn: Christine Goodell, P.O. Box 549, Siletz, OR 97380-0549;
■Fax: 541-444-2307.
Î
Name: Roll Number:
Address :____________________________________ _________________ _____
City:State: ZIP:
Telephone: (Day)
(Evening)
Tribal Council will review applications and approve appointments at the
Regular Tribal Council meeting in March. If you have any questions, please
call Christine Goodell at 1-800-922-1399, ext. 1200, or 541-444-8200.
February 2005
•
Siletz News
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