OR. COLL.
E
75
.S68
v. 22
no. 10
May 8,
1997
P.O. Box 870
Warm Sprint's. OR 97761
Address Correction Requested
U.S. Postage
Bulk Rate Permit No. 2
Warm Springs, OR 97761
Spilyay Tyoioo
Sl-KIM-SDI'IT.
KNinirr library
p'W UNIVERSITY Ol' OKl.dON
l-JlCJI-NK. OR 97403
May 8,1997 ?
k). 22 No. 10 S
(Coyote News)
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Coyote News
In Brief
American Indian
Week set
Tribal Council, through
Resolution, designated
the last week of May as
American Indian Week.
May 22 is Tribal
Information Day at the
State Capitol.
Boy, what a day!
Hundreds of senior
citizens crowded the
Agency Longhouse for
the seventh annual
Honor Seniors Day.
Thank you,
Teachers!
Warm Springs parents
and students thank their
teachers.
Language lessons
continue
Sahaptin, Kiksht and
Paiute language lessons
are offered.
6 and 7
Making things work
again
Physical therapists have
been treating Warm
Springs residents for the
past year.
Pius much, much
more!
Deadline for the next
issue of Spilyay is
Friday, May 16, 1997
Public meetings scheduled for Pelton project relicensing
Studies lendinc to the rcliccnsine to nnnroach the studies reouired for Tlietwo-davnieetincat Kah-Nee- Donaldson, former director of the The Tribe huilt and manage
Studies leading to the relicensing
of the Pelton-Round Butte Hydro
electric Project are the subject of
public meetings scheduled by the
Confederated Tribes of Warm springs
May 14 and 15 at Kah-Nee-Ta Re
sort. The meetings are part of the Fed
eral Energy Regulatory Commission
process under which the Tribe will
be competing with Portland General
Electric Company for the license to
operate the project.
"These meetings are an early step
in the proceedings at which the gen
eral public, government agencies and
other stakeholders can hear and com
ment on how the Tribe is proposing
to approach the studies required for
seeking (he license," said Brian
Cunninghamc, Relicensing Coordi
nator for Wirm Springs Power En
terprises. The Tribe also recently issues a
First Stage Consultation Document,
which describes in depth the Tribe's
plans. "Based on feedback at the
meetings and to the consultation
document, the Tribe may refine its
study plans," Cunninghamc said.
The Tribe has send the document
to more than 270 federal and state
agencies, local governments and
other interested parties. A copy of
the document is available from Warm
Springs Power Enterprises, (541)
553-1046.
The two-day meeting at Kah-Nee-
Ta begins at 9 a.m., May 14 and is
scheduled to conclude by 4:30 p.m.
The May 15 meetings begins at 89:30
a.m. and concludes with a tour of the
project from 10:15 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Those planning to attend should con
tact Warm Springs Power Enter
prises. Among the presentations will be a
description of an innovate method of
addressing complex ecosystem dy
namics, called Ecosystem Diagnosis
and Treatment (EDT). Jack
Donaldson, former director of the
Oregon Department of Fish and
Wildlife and a consultant to the Tribe,
will discuss how EDT will be used in
the relicensing studies.
The license fr the Pelton-Round
Butte project expires in 2001 , but the
lengthy I 'ERC process for relicensing
started late last year when the Tribe
notified FERC of its intention to
compete for the project license.
The Tribe is currently a co-lic-ensec
on the Pelton-Round Butte
project with PGE.
The Tribe built and manages the
generating and power transmission
facilities at Pelton Rercgulating Dam.
It is the largest landholder in the
vicinity of the project and is second
only to the US Government in land
holdings within the project bound
ary. The Tribe is further involved with
the project at the manager of fish,
recreation, water and wildlife re
sources on the Warm Springs Reser
vation, which includes land adjacent
to and downstream from the project.
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ECE children, parents
and staff celebrated the
Week of the Young
Child with "Zoo Day"
and hayrides last
week. (Left) Youngster
was facinated with
parakeet brought in for
Zoo Day. (Top) A pair
of Clydesdales pulled
the wagon for the
hayride. (Right)
Tropical fish fascinated
youngsters at ECE.
I University of Oregon Library
j Received on: 05-14-97
j Spilyay tymoo.
r
Indian Head Casino shows first-quarter profit for 1997
Rudy Clements, chairman of
the Indian Head Gaming Board of
Directors stated that Indian Head
Casino produced a significant gain
in the first quarter of this year
compared to budget and the same
period last year. "I am very pleased
to announce our casino was prof
itable the first part of 1997. 1 be
lieve we are headed in the right
direction and have the potential
to be a viable Enterprise for the
Tribe. This marks a positive turn
around from the unfortunate re
sults of last year." (See Indian Head
annual report in special insert in
cluded in this issue of Spilyay
Tymoo.)
And so it has. First quarter gross
revenues were $1,205,533 This
number exceeded the projected
budget by $259,988. The casino
spend $890,995 to operate the first
three months. This includes all
capital items and loans. The net
result: a profit of $314,538.
"This far exceeds our expecta
tions," Clements says. "Based on
last year's data, the Gaming Board
was anticipating a very small re
turn for the entire year. If we can
keep this up, we could reach a
million dollars in profit"
So what has been occurring at
Indian Head to produce such a
favorable report? "A number of
things," says new general man
ager Jeff Ford. "Although we
change or modify each individual
piece in a subtle manner, it's how
all the pieces fit and blend to
gether. We'll constantly be fine
tuning the operation."
(Late last year, Clements and
the Gaming Board moved to fill
the vacated General Manager
position. They elected to hire Ford,
a former vice-president of
Harvey's casino and hotel in Lake
Tahoe, who has considerable ex
perience in the gaming industry.)
Ford went on to state that the
list of "pieces" is very compre
hensive. Generalizing, he started
with customer service and friend
liness, then the gaming products
offered, the marketplace as well
as marketing, expenses, cash flow,
operating policies and proce
dures, short and long term strate
gies and more. "We have a long
way to go until I'll be satisfied.
However, we have made a con
siderable amount of progress.
Some hard decisions had to im
mediately be made and in doing
so, we're now seeing the benefits."
Indian Head has been me
thodically changing their image.
Focusing marketing efforts on
public awareness. Instead of us
ing the term Gaming Center, it's
been changed to Casino. The Ca
sino coined the phrase "Lucky
You!" to establish a winning feel
ing and have recently trade
marked the phrase with the State.
Billboard, newspaper and radio
advertising is sending direct
messages to the consumer.
"Again, all subtle changes that
are adding up to form a desirable
image and perception of who and
what we are in the customer's
mind," Ford states.
Indian Head recently entered
into agreement with the Triad
Group, the Casino's new market
ing agency in Bend, which will
assist in a more regional approach.
Ford contends, "The Triad Group
will enhance our marketing ef
forts and help provide a solid
foundation. There will always be
an underlying theme in our ad
vertising of action, entertainment
and fun in a friendly environ
ment." Coupled with marketing, the
casino floor was re-designed. Un
profitable areas were eliminated,
Poker and Blackjack were placed
onthemaincasino floor and some
new slot machines are on order.
Significant in Ford's mind was
the visual impression created, the
customer's line of sight and cus
tomer traffic flow through the ca
sino. Thirty-five slot machines
were removed in order to create
the right effect. Only two levels or
floors of gaming now exist.
Some of the changes which
helped shape the profit produced
in the first quarter would not have
been possible without the ded ica
tion and effort by Indian Head
employees. "We pulled in the reins
on spending and expenses and all
employees responded in an un
derstanding and positive manner.
They're hard, enthusiastic work
ers committed to seeing Indian
Head succeed," Ford attests. "In
my first five months and as we
speak today, I don't see anyone
giving up or shying away from the
challenges we are faced with." In
dian Head currently averages 28
percent tribal member employ
ment. Tribal members, married
into the tribe and other Indians
comprise on an average 59-percent
of all employees.
"When we consider gaming be
coming a long-term commitment,
we first have to prove its worth
and value. The positive first quar
ter results have set the stage and
suggests it merits further review,"
mentions Clements. Accordingly,
the Gaming Board has moved to
create a Strategic Planning Com
mittee to analyze and study the
impact and growth potential of
gaming for the Tribe. The Com
mittee anticipates completing the
task and reporting to the Gaming
Board later on in the year.
WTiat does the immediate fu
ture hold for Indian Head? "Steady
as she goes," Clements and Ford
maintain. "Focus on a simple but
key point produce as much rev
enue as possible with what we have
to offer. We'll continue to work on
customer service and procedural
issues while at the same time pro
moting Indian Head's position in
the marketplace. We're going to
create stability and a solid perfor
mance record." April is shaping
up nicely and from all indication,
another profitable month is on the
horizon.
Kah-Nee-Ta Resort
Pool House Blessing
Tuesday, May 20, 1997
3 p.m. Introductions Gordon Shown,
Chairman Kah-Nee-Ta Board; Ed
Manion, Project Manager
Blessing Wilson Wewa, Jr., Culture
and Heritage
4:30 Richard Tohet Kah-Nee-Ta Historical
Presentation
4:45 Dedications ZuAnne Jarrett; Hot
Springs Observation Deck, Louis
LeClaire, Jr.; Council Circle, Delvis
Heath, Sr.; Pool Bears, Manuel
Izguardo, Sculputre; First Person Down
the Slide announcement; Lodge 25th
Birthday Party
5 p.m. Ribbon Cutting Joe Moses; Invitation
to participate
7 p.m. Story telling and marshamallow roast in
the Council Circle.
All Warm Springs Community Members are invited
to attend.