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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 15, 1995)
Page 4 September 15, 1995 SMOKE SIGNALS i pSS&SQ Spirit Mountain to feature a variety of dining opportunities Visitors to Spirit Mountain Ca sino will be able to take a break from their gaming entertainment to enjoy a wide variety of dining options, from an upscale buffet style restaurant to a New York style delicatessen and a snack bar. The highlight of dining at the casino will be Coyotes, an upscale buffet restaurant featuring a wide variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner selections. Featuring a 20 foot tall fir tree in the center, Coy otes will be a pleasant surprise to those expecting a typical food buffet. "We want to emphasize the very highest quality, both in food and in service," says Bob Robbins, Director of House Op erations. "Our guests will enjoy the finest dining experience we can give them." To bring that high level of qual- I . J .. -,." -" . ' .. " . ity to the restaurant, the casino has hired Frank Moragas, an executive chef with over 32 years experience in hospitality dining. Trained in Europe, Moragas has worked as the executive chef in major hotels and signature country clubs throughout Europe and the United States. Along with Randy Dugger, Food and Beverage Manager, Moragas' goal is to bring the very best in food and services to dining at Spirit Mountain. The 240-seat restaurant, which will be open from early morning until late evening, will feature a rotating menu of over 300 different selections, from sal ads to hot and cold entrees, carved meats and desserts. For those wanting a lighter meal, the Rock Creek Deli will feature sandwiches, specialty pizza, garden salads, bagels, fresh cheeses and other menu items typi cal to a New York-style delicatessen. The deli will seat 20 to 30 guests and will be open 24 hours a day. Like the deli, the Elkhorn Cafe, located near the bingo hall and nonsmoking casino, will serve casino visitors 24 hours a day. The menu will offer a wide variety of ca sual food items, including several differ ent styles of broiled hamburgers, traditional Chicago-style hot dogs, specialty sand wiches, nachos, french fries, bagels, soups and breakfast items. Both the deli and snack bar are designed so casino visitors can eat there or "take out" the food with them to their slot machines or bingo seats. Casino patrons will enjoy free soft drinks and coffee. A variety of specialty drinks, such as fruit juice, sparkling water and espresso drinks, will be available for pur chase at the three dining facilities. Casino to begin construction on restaurant and lounge As construction nears comple tion on Spirit Mountain Casino, the Tribal Council has unani mously approved the next phase of construction, a full-service res taurant and lounge. An upscale steakhouse, the res taurant will seat 150 people and feature fine dining and regional Oregon wines. The lounge, which will seat 125 people, will feature additional gaming and possible other entertainment. Both the restaurant and lounge will offer alcoholic beverages and provide multiuse capabilities, in cluding banquet rooms and con ference space. Located on the west side of the casino, the new addition will add another promi nent entry to the building. "We expect to hire approxi mately 50 to 60 additional em ployees for the new facility," notes Dave Harjo, Development Director for Spirit Mountain. Completion of the construction, he adds, is scheduled for spring of 1996. Development officials are currently examining options for additional enhancement of the facilities, including the potential for children's entertainment. Smoke Removal System brings fresh air to casino patrons COSITRON, a state-of-the-art smoke removal system, will combine filtration and air exchange to ensure clean, smoke-free air for patrons of Spirit Mountain Casino. The system, which will be located on the casino roof, uses smoke filtration combined with fresh air ex change to clean the air while maintaining constant temperatures throughout the casino. "Although the COSITRON system itself is complex," notes Gaming Director Jeff Realander, "it is actually very simple and cost-effective in what it does." In addition to the smoke removal system, Spirit Mountain will also be one of the first casinos in the country to offer a nonsmoking section. The casino will offer two separate gaming areas, smoking and nonsmoking, to ensure the comfort and enjoyment of all of its patrons. Casino to have positive impact on Grand Ronde economy The new Spirit Mountain Casino's anticipated $18 million annual pay roll is expected to have a substantial impact on local economies, say management officials. With a monthly payroll of $1.5 million, the casino will have a major impact on the economies of Grand Ronde, Willamina and Sheridan, as well as those of more distant communities, including Salem and McMinnville.
