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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 1995)
Page 4 November 1, 1995 SMOKE SIGNALS i Over 4,000 attend opening ceremony - : V4 Hundreds gathered inside the bingo hall to hear the dedication of Spirit Mountain Casino. till I ' "W " . . . gWtwm i r. t I 'il 1 -;U, '-II Jt r-' atatA." -E-;. ,,f" . OF sjf . . " - .JBt ?. ... j .yr i -St...-': ."W; V If you love Keno, there's a special area in the casino just for you! Over 4,000 tribal members, civic leaders, business vendors and others involved in Spirit Mountain Casino cel ebrated the opening of Oregon's new est and largest tribal gaming facility at a gala evening festivity on Tuesday, October 17. Celebrants crowded the casino's bingo hall to hear presentations by Tribal Chairman Mark Mercier and Vice Chair Kathryn Harrison. They then adjourned to enjoy gambling on the 700 slot machines, 25 blackjack and poker tables and the other games avail able in the 90,000 square foot facility. Those who didn't try their luck gam bling enjoyed musical entertainment provided by Portland jazz musician Tom Grant and his band. Other music was found throughout the casino with saxophonist Teddy Deane and an a cappella trio "String of Pearls." Guests were impressed by the dra matic design of the casino, including the twice life-sized statue of Martha Jane Sands, the soaring 2 1 -foot ceilings, the glass-domed rotunda in the main lobby, the hand-cut stone and wood details, the vibrant colors on the walls and carpets, and the amazing sound and light dis plays atop the banks of progressive slot machines. On the previous evening, Monday, October 16, about 500 tribal members and their friends enjoyed the very first look inside the new Spirit Mountain Ca sino on Tribal Open House Night. Highlights of the event included the unveiling of the Martha Jane Sands statue by artist Lon Mercier and sculp tor Rip Caswell, informal tours of the facility, and for Tribal members over age 2 1 , the first opportunity to try their luck on the slot machines and poker and blackjack tables. "We're delighted by the comments we've heard from visitors who came to Tribal Night and to the Opening Cer emonies," notes President Bruce Tho mas. "We're confident this is a good sign of the future success Spirit Moun tain will enjoy." The opening of Spirit Mountain Ca sino has received extensive positive at tention in the media, as well. "In the first days of opening, we had coverage by four Portland television stations and all local and regional news papers," noted Chuck Galford, Direc tor of Marketing. "The anticipation and interest Spirit Mountain is getting in Portland and throughout the state is ex- With huge crowds expected during the first weeks, Galford has held off on launching a full advertising campaign in advance of the opening, but televi sion, radio and newspaper ads for the casino will start during the last week of October. A public Grand Opening Celebration is tentatively scheduled for January. Open to the general public as of Wednesday, October 1 8, Spirit Moun tain Casino will entertain visitors 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. "The doors are open and they'll never close," Galford said. ? ? ' ."' " ; " f '"'L';JI WWMiWWy 1 lMlBWSWWWW mri1p.-1-ffllr1frlill nirnifim- , iii. ? r ' 3 " " Spirit Mountain Outfitters houses a large selection of cloth- L,n.,,rlrB,nJlrr-- I ' , . - ; ing and logo items. The main casino area offers one dollar, quarter, and nickel slot machines.
