Image provided by: The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs; Warm Springs, OR
About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 16, 2000)
OR. COLL. E 75 ,B8 v. 5 no. 4 November 16. 0010 P.O. Box 870 Warm Springs, OR 9776 1 Change Sen ice Requested U.S. Postage Bulk Rate Permit No. 2 Warm Springs, OR 9776 1 SliKIALSnWT. KNKiirriJHRARY !2'W UNIVERSITY OF OKIifiON mwii, OR 9740.1 ECRWSS Postal Patron Warm Springs, OR 97761 Nov. 16, 2000 Vol. 25 No. 24 pilyay Tymoo (Coyote News) News from the Warm Springs Indian Reservation 35 cents i 1 The Veterans day parade in Veterans day observed here in Warm Springs, on November 11, 2000, with ceremonies held at the memorial stone adjacent to the Post Office, in front of the "Old Administrative building. The lowering of the flag to half mast in commemoration of all the veterans who have been killed in action and to those who have passed on. Color guard assembled with the Eagle Staff out front, the United States flag, the Tribal flag, the State flag, the Post flag, along with visiting post flags and the MIA flag were on hand for the 21 gun solute, and a mo ment of silence honoring all those who have given their lives and for all the Veterans who have now passed on. After the ceremonies all Veterans and relatives and friends fell in behind the colors and marched to the longhouse, for the Veter ans dinner which was well Continued on page 2 Happy Thanksgiving from Spilyay Tymoo staff Warriors of yesteryear to the present on display As we look far back into the past, what comes to the mind is the vision of the past reaching into the present of our warrior past. The quiet, coura geous strength of those gone on reaching out to us through the war riors of today. The old time warriors live on with us through their descen dants and are heard through the voices of the young men and woman who follow in their footsteps. In their honor the Indian Health Service Administrative staff have gathered photographs and placed them for public viewing in the Ad ministrative waiting room and recep tion room of the Health and Wellness Center. This is the time to show our ap preciation and honor to the men and woman w ho have served in the armed services of this great nation. The photograph display is to cel ebrate the indomitable spirit of our people, also to acknowledge the pain Veterans observed in -r 1 K f -UP '.iff 4 route to the longhouse for Bertson Simtustus with the parade to the longhouse on of warriors who have come home to us leaving their fallen friends behind. Recognizing the price they have paid for our freedoms as they have recon structed their spirits and lives. It is our privilege to express our gratitude to these special men and woman who are in the in unique po sition of being among a culture mat has contributed the highest ratio group in the world into the armed ser vices. We invite the community to view the display throughout the month of November. The Indian Health Service participates annually in National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage month and have chosen the veterans who have contributed to the fabric that holds our w orld in peace. Thank you to the veterans who have shared their photographs from their personal records and remaining pieces of their uniforms. If : . A J i ' "-w 1 HP" 3 Si ' , rim - J; 1 i I I x s jV - . jffli'rtlll ,i'-'1' ll ' tj-, mi, iitiiiiiigit-i'm mMKIftStiMiHHlWttWilli 4 X SI Jsjf r f -t-v the Veterans day dinner. The Eagle Saff who led the Veterans day Kah-Nee-Ta ResortIndian Head Casino merger proposed The boards of Kah-Nee-Ta Re sort and Indian Head Casino are con sidering a merger that would make the combined enterprises profitable. Ac cording to a recent study conducted at the request of Tribal Council, the merger would provide a number of benefits, including a profitable eco nomic future for the consolidated en terprise. The joint boards addressed Tribal Council and asked for their opinions regarding a potential merger. Tribal Council responded by passing a mo tion to have the joint boards return with additional information derived from market research that would de termine the feasibility of merging the two enterprises. Objectives included the need to identify potential benefits, as well as any items deemed detri mental. The recently filed report, con ducted by Bardsley and Neidhart of Portland, states that merging the two enterprises would result in net annual income of $2.9 million and over $3 million in cash flow even under cur rent conditions. This would substan tially reduce or eliminate funding re quests for operational and capital improvements that the historically unprofitable resort now makes on an annual basis. Positive net income and cash flow would continue into the future, even w ith modest payroll and expense Flag and rifle ceremony Vl. v ,:-. -Wi i1- T , W parade had a good turnout of 0 "WlUK. 1 4 , f The rifle squad firing the gun here in Warm Springs. increases factored in. The report projects a merged Kah-Nee-TaIndian Head corporation could move its cur rent net income position of 16.67 per cent to a proposed target of 21 per cent. Increased profits would be the result of cost savings derived, in part, through consolidation and restructur ing. Duplications in administration and staffing would be done away with and marketing strategies would show case the attributes of both facilities. At the present time, the average casino visitor is not a likely candidate to spend the night at Kah-Nee-Ta Resort, primarily because room and meal prices target a higher income clientele. By lowering room rates and promoting the merged enterprises as a single entity, the study indicates occupancy would increase and prof its would rise. "The promotion of Kah-Nee-Ta and Indian Head prompts the unifi cation of the two current independent management groups, thereby promot ing an integration of strategic vision, philosophy, mission and subsequent operating objectives," states the re port. "Being that both enterprises are a party to the leisure trade, its is logi cal that unification will advance the direction, coordination and imple mentation of similar goals." While Kah-Nce-ta itself has not i: ,; v -rte It. J- 'II 1 I'll r 1 II' I III'.- V w Marvin Ike, earring the flag during the Veterans parade 1 - . , .. .i if t 1 " solute during the morning been a profitable venture, it does con tribute heavily to Indian Head's prof itability. An estimated $ 1 .7 million is provided to annual gross gaming rev enues through Kah-Nee-Ta occu pants. Without the resort, Indian Head's income would drop substan tially, which provides a strong incen tive to merge the enterprises and make them both solvent. A profitable merger would re quire some outlay of capital during the early stages of the project. Kah-Nee-Ta Lodge would have to be up dated and some of the surrounding facilities, including the golf course, would have to be upgraded to com pete favorably with similar facilities throughout central Oregon. These expenses would be aimed at creating a High Desert destination for tourists of varied interests and in comes. It is believed the resort can stand out among regional competitors as a unique and appealing destination, provided some improvements are made shortly after a merger is imple mented. Improvements could include a wider variation in casino games, a different food and beverage offering, new furniture, a new health spa, and additional space for recreational ve hicle parking. Upgrading facilities would make them more attractive and w ould assist in promotions geared at increased usage. University of Ore con Library eceiv d cn: 11 1 Spilyay tyaoo. t . to i )' 7 ( fin i . L of the Confederated Tribes f . y jr. V VI -J ceremonies on Veterans day "More people will stay at the re sort if you broaden the casino offer ing, renovate the rooms, improve cus tomer service and deliver a higher quality food product with more op tions," states the report. "With the proper on-sight customer service and cross promotion, filling rooms means filling the casino." Marketing of the resort would emphasize a new image and some familiar themes, including the region's sunny climate, a vast array of outdoor recreation opportunities, excellent food, modern rooms, friendly service and the tribe's unique culture. This approach has been suc cessful for similar ventures outside the region, so proponents believe it will be successful here, as well. Tribal Council is currently weighing the positive and negative aspects of merging Kah-Nee-Ta Re sort and Indian Head Casino. They have asked the joint boards to pro vide additional details relating to the project and report back in February of 2001. Tribal Council w ill share the outcome of that report through meet ings w ith the tribal public. The potential merger will not have an affect on other projects re lated to gaming. The possibility of expanding current facilities or locat ing another casino away from Kah-Nee-Ta are still being explored.