S MOKE S IGNALS
OCTOBER 1, 2015
13
Board and council credited for success of casino
CASINO continued
from page 12
The dividend we give has turned
our Elders’ lives around.”
Based on the Community Fund’s
6 percent distribution of $67 mil-
lion, Spirit Mountain Casino has
earned more than $1 billion since
it opened that has gone to support
the Tribal government and its pro-
grams for members.
Dr. Katherine Spilde, who is an
associate professor at the L. Robert
Payne School of Hospitality and Tour-
ism Management at San Diego State
University, says revenues at Spirit
Mountain Casino place it among the
most successful Tribal gaming oper-
ations in the United States.
“Gaming revenues are a function
of numerous factors, including
operations expertise, good man-
agement, location and marketing,”
says Spilde. “As important as the
revenues, however, is the Tribal
government investment strategy.
Your Tribe invests these revenues
into endowments, which is a true
commitment to institutionalizing
the social and economic recovery
that Tribal gaming has stimulated
across Indian Country.”
Spilde says that according to the
National Indian Gaming Commis-
sion’s 2014 statistics on Indian
gaming revenues, Spirit Mountain
Casino is in the top 25 percent of
Indian gaming operations. The
commission’s statistics show that
50 of the 459 Tribally owned gam-
ing operations generate revenues
between $50 million and $100 mil-
lion annually.
“The benefi ts from the casino are
just unmeasurable to the people
in this community and especially
to the Grand Ronde Tribal mem-
bers,” says Gleason-Shepek. “You
look at all of the programs that we
offer and a lot of that is supported
Spirit Mountain Casino general managers
1. Bruce Thomas – May 27,1993, through Feb. 8, 2000
2. Michael Moore – Nov. 28, 2000, through Nov. 28, 2002
3. Doug Pattison – May 1, 2003, through Oct. 13, 2003
4. Richard Kline – Dec. 31, 2003, through Oct. 10, 2004
5. Gary Stopp – March 28, 2005, through April 8, 2005
6. Randy Dugger – April 25, 2005, through Oct. 5, 2007
7. Rodney Ferguson – Oct. 10, 2008, through Aug. 1, 2012
8. Randy Dugger – Sept. 16, 2012, through Aug. 1, 2014
9. Stan Dillon – July 29, 2014, to present
Also serving as interim general managers: Bob Watson (Tribal member),
Mike Larsen (Tribal member), Bill Pierce and Roy Rhode.
by gaming dividends and I really
support that.
“The early Tribal Council had a
wonderful vision and without the
gaming we would have none of that.
It’s brought so many people back to
the Reservation and it has provided
so many jobs and opportunities.”
‘It’s a benchmark’
Current Spirit Mountain Casino
General Manager Stan Dillon says
he has seen casinos open and close
in less time during his long career.
“It’s a benchmark,” says Dillon. “I
look at it like 20 years of success is a
long time for a casino. So when you
think of the casino not only as still
there, but thriving 20 years later, it
says a lot about the people and the
company that is running it.”
Dillon says much of the credit
for a successful casino operation
goes to Tribal leadership. The fact
that Spirit Mountain is competing
with another casino nearby and the
Oregon Lottery’s 12,000 machines
says a lot, he adds.
“Our board and our council have
done good things to keep the com-
pany where it’s at,” says Dillon.
“It’s a huge moment for us and we
expect to continue to be the premier
destination with the best machines,
the best food and the nicest appear-
ance. So that’s what it means to me
in my position.”
Dillon attributes much of the
property’s success to the employees
who work at the casino.
“Casinos are a refl ection of the
people who work in them, I think
any good business is,” says Dillon.
The casino is now 100 percent
coinless. When players cash out of
their slot machines or video poker
games, they are issued a paper
ticket that can then be fed into any
other machine. Players can move
freely from one machine to another
without having to cash in at the
cashier window each time. When
players are ready to receive their
cash, they can go to the cashier
window or cash in at exchange
machines placed throughout the
casino – usually next to the ATMs.
Casino visitors can play Texas
Hold’em in the poker room, three-
card poker on the gaming fl oor along
with pai gow, Let It Ride, craps,
roulette, blackjack, keno, bingo and
the largest variety of slot machines
in Oregon. Selected video slot ma-
chines are considered progressives
and they are connected nationally to
other Native-owned and -operated
casinos throughout the country.
Guests playing these machines have
a chance to win major jackpots of as
much as $500,000 or more.
“I think the Tribe has managed the
casino great,” says Gleason-Shepek.
“I think the casino has grown with
the community and the needs. I
think they have done a good job man-
aging the growth. I think they have
done a good job of keeping it nice and
fresh and updated, and I absolutely
love the hall that tells our story.”
“One of the goals for any council,
whether it was 20 years ago or
today or hopefully in the future,
is self-sustainability for our Tribal
members,” says McClary. “And I
think the revenues driven by the
casino allow us to help build those
steps to self-sustainability for our
membership. It really provides us
an opportunity to get people moving
in the right direction. Take educa-
tion, for example. We spend a por-
tion of our revenues from the casino
every year to educate our people,
which helps them go on to become
positive infl uences in society.”
Mercier agrees that the casino
has had a huge effect on the Tribe
and the surrounding community.
“It’s more than a casino,” says
Mercier. “It’s been a catalyst for
change. It’s brought the Gover-
nance Center. That is something we
wouldn’t have without the casino.
We have sidewalks now on Grand
Ronde Road – remember seeing
people walking in the ditches? It’s
brought so much to the community.
Who would have ever seen this at
Restoration? It’s phenomenal. It’s
put our people on the map.”
Leno says he sees a 30-year or
even a 40-year anniversary coming.
“When I drive by the casino every
morning I guess I don’t see the glitz
and the glamour and all the cars and
the excitement and everything, I see
the future of the Tribe,” says Leno.
“I see our education program. I see
our Elders’ pension. I see our health
plan. I see all of that in the casino.”
Seeking your donations for 3 organizations!
G RAND R ONDE H ELPING H ANDS
I SKAM M ƎK ʰM ƎK -H AWS , T HE C LOTHES C LOSET , & A C AUSE F OR P AWS ARE WORKING TOGETHER
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Wednesday, October 21st
2 pm to 6 pm
Give to 3 organizations in one location!
Iskam is seeking warm clothes and
blankets. Items to create a Bed-in-a-bag.
Please consider donating: tent, tarp,
pillow, sleeping bag, blankets, sheets, or a
foam mattress for homeless families.
The Clothes Closet is seeking Halloween
Costumes! Consider recycling gently used
costumes for local youth.
Clean out your food pantry, we’ll figure out
the expiration dates!
A Cause for Paws is seeking pet costumes,
food, pet toys, and beds.
We will take books for our lending library.
If you are not sure if we can take it, bring
it or give us a call.
Iskam MǝkʰMǝk-Haws
9675 Grand Ronde Road
Grand Ronde, OR 97347
503-879-FOOD (3663)
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