Smoke Signals 3
SEPTEMBER 15, 2012
General Council concentrates on casino issues
Photo by Michelle Alalmo
Spirit Mountain Casino General Manager Randy Dugger gives the Tribal
membership an update on the casino during the General Council meeting at
the Tribal Community Center on Sunday, Sept. 9.
Current operations,
future threats dominate
September meeting
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
Spirit Mountain Casino's current
operations and looming threats to
its revenue dominated the Sept. 9
General Council meeting held in
the Tribal Community Center in
Grand Ronde.
Spirit Mountain Casino General
Manager Randy Dugger said that
the management structure has
changed since the recent resigna
tion of Chief Executive Officer
Rodney Ferguson.
Dugger said the previous struc
ture of having a chief executive
officer, chief operating officer and
chief financial officer has been
replaced with a general manager
structure.
Dugger was accompanied by his
executive team of Facilities Direc
tor Ron Reibach, Human Resources
Director Laurie South, Security
Director Joann Mercier, Gaming
Director Stan Dillon, Guest Servic
es Director Janet Shultz, Finance
Director Jamie Tharp and Surveil
lance Director Steve Bobb Jr.
Dugger said that 2012 revenue
has been "flat," as predicted by
Ferguson in his report to the mem
bership in September 2011.
"It certainly turned out to be
that way, although it has not been
consistent from month to month.
... We are down year over year,
the bulk of that coming essentially
in two months, January and July,"
Dugger said, citing gasoline prices
that reached the $4-a-gallon range
in the spring because of a refinery
fire in Washington state as one of
the major causes.
Gas prices briefly plummeted
this summer and then skyrocketed
again when a refinery fire in Cali
fornia once again stressed the sup
ply of gasoline on the West Coast.
"Gas prices generally impact our
visits from what we call the 50- to
75-mile range; the Portland and
Vancouver area. In April, we saw a
significant reduction in the number
of trips coming from that area," he
said. "The good news is, such as
it was in April, people were still
coming, a little bit less often but
spending a little bit more, which
tells me they still had money to
spend, but they choose to use their
gas money wisely."
Dugger said 2013 is looking a lot
like 2012.
"There is nobody out there pro
jecting a significant uptick in eco
nomic activity between now and
then," he said.
To combat the still sluggish Or
egon economy, he said that keeping
casino expenses in check in 2013
will be a high priority.
"I think we have done a good job
of keeping our expenses in check,"
Dugger said. 'That doesn't mean we
can't do a better job and certainly
one of my goals for 2013 is to make
a significant improvement at that
level."
Dugger said the casino is remain
ing abreast of developments on the
Internet gaming front. Casino staff
members are investigating estab
lishment of a free play Internet
site that would set the stage for
Internet gaming should it ever be
approved by Congress.
"We are at the forefront of Tribal
gaming in where we are in trying to
understand the potential for this,"
Dugger said.
Dugger said a survey found that
Internet gaming has the potential
to increase the number of visits to
a brick-and-mortar casino.
In addition, the casino continues
to update and upgrade its slot ma
chines, adding new games and up
grading games to be more relevant
and current.
"New games are good for the busi
ness is all I can say," Dugger said.
"They generate a lot of activity."
In response to a question, Dug
ger said that slots account for a
majority of casino revenue, which
only accentuates the importance of
keeping them current.
Dugger fielded several questions
from Tribal members, who com
plained about a perceived decrease
in customer service at Spirit Moun
tain Casino.
'There is no excuse for poor ser
vice, no excuse for being rude and
no excuse of lauding your perceived
positional power over somebody,"
Dugger said, pledging to investi
gate claims of poor service when
they are brought to his attention.
"This is a high priority for me."
In executive session, Tribal lob
byist Justin Martin briefed the
membership on the Tribe's plans
to combat measures 82 and 83 on
the Nov. 6 ballot. The two measures
would amend the Oregon Constitu
tion to permit private casinos and
specifically OK a private casino
being built in Wood Village at the
former greyhound race track.
A private casino located in the
Portland metropolitan area would
negatively affect revenue at Spirit
Mountain Casino, the Tribe's pri
mary economic enterprise that funds
Tribal programs, such as health care,
education and Elder pensions.
Because Martin's briefing oc
curred in executive session, Smoke
Signals cannot report on the de
tails. Martin's briefing lasted 70 min
utes and he fielded about 15 ques
tions and comments from Tribal
members regarding the measures
and the Tribe's planned reaction to
a marketing blitz currently occur
ring in support of 'The Grange."
Rex Haller, Daphne Colton and
Tribal Elder Claudia Leno won the
$50 door prizes and JoAnna Bris
bois won the $100 door prize.
The next General Council meet
ing will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday,
Oct. 7, in Portland at a site yet to
be determined.
Committee & Special Event
Board meeting days and times
Below is the most current information on the meeting days and times for
Tribal Committees and Special Event Boards:
Ceremonial Hunt Board meets as needed. Chair: Shonn Leno.
Cultural Trust Board meets at4 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month
in Modular No. 2. Chair: Perri McDaniel.
Culture Committee meets at 1 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month
in Modular No. 3. Chair: TBD.
Education Committee meets at 5:15 p.m. on the first Monday of the
month in the Adult Education Building. Chair: TBD.
Elders' Committee meets at 10 a.m. the third Wednesday of the month
in the Elders' Activity Center. Chair: Gladys Hobbs.
Enrollment Committee meets quarterly in Room 204 of the Governance
Building. Acting Chair: Robert Schmid.
Fish & Wildlife Committee meets at 5:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of
the month at the Natural Resources Building. Chair: Harold Lyon.
Health Committee meets at 10 a.m. the second Wednesday of the
month in the Tribal Wellness Center. Acting Chair: Patti Tom-Martin.
Powwow Special Event Board meets at 5 p.m. the first Thursday of
the month at the Tribal Community Center. Chair: Dana Ainam.
Rodeo Special Event Board meets at 6 p.m. the first Thursday of the
month at the Tribal Rodeo Office. Chair: Harold Lyon.
Social Services Committee meets at 4 p.m. the second Monday of the
month in the Social Services Conference Room. Chair: Jenny Sanchez.
Timber Committee meets at 5 p.m. the second Thursday of the month
at the Natural Resources Building. Chair: Bob Mercier.
Veterans Special Event Board meets at 4 p.m. the first and third
Tuesday of the month in the Tribal Community Center. Chair: Gene
LaBonte.
Back-to-School powwow
set for Sept. 21
A Back-to-School Children's InterTribal Powwow will be held from
5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 21, in the Tribal gym.
People are invited to participate in a night of dancing, singing and
drumming. For more information, contact Halona Butler at Halona.
butlergrandronde.org.
Committee seeks Elders' phone numbers
The Tribal Elders Committee is working on a volunteer phone list of
Elders. If you would like to submit your phone number and address to be
available to other Elders, send it to elders.committeegrandronde.org or
leave a message at 503-879-2231.
ATTENTION TRIBAL MEMBERS
COMMITTEE AND SPECIAL EVENT BOARD VACANCIES
The following Committees and Special Event Boards have vacant
positions.
Social Services 3 Vacancies
Rodeo Special Event Board 1 Vacancy
Veterans Special Event Board 1 Vacancy
Please send completed applications to the Lauri Smith, 961 5
Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, OR 97347.