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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 2016)
PRESORTED STANDARD MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID PORTLAND, OR PERMIT NO. 700 JANUARY 1, 2016 Tribe purchases Greyhound Park in Wood Village By Dean Rhodes Casino elves Smoke Signals editor W OOD VILLAGE – The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde is now the owner of the 31-acre Multnomah Greyhound Park site in Wood Vil- lage. The Tribe closed on the property on Friday, Dec. 11. The site, which is no longer used for dog racing, was listed for sale at $11.2 million in 2015 by owner Arthur McFadden. Tribal Council approved pursuing purchase of the site at its Oct. 14 meeting. At the time, Tribal Coun- cil Chairman Reyn Leno said that the Tribe is developing a business plan for the property that would help diversify the Tribe’s economic base. “Economic diversification has always been a priority for our Tribe and our membership,” Leno said. “We have worked hard since our Tribe was restored to become self-suffi cient, and to provide es- sential programs for our members. Striving toward a diversifi ed econ- omy is an objective that helps us prepare for the future.” Tribal Lands Department Man- ager Jan Looking Wolf Reibach said the property is zoned Town Center by the city of Wood Village, which allows for a variety of potential uses including a regional entertainment facility, commercial retail, housing and offi ce buildings. Grand Ronde Tribal members are familiar with the site since it was identifi ed as the possible location for Oregon’s first privately oper- ated casino by two Lake Oswego businessmen who sponsored bal- lot measures in 2010 and 2012 to See PARK continued on page 5 Photos by Michelle Alaimo Spirit Mountain Casino Marketing Director Shawna Ridgebear is interviewed by media during the casino’s toy delivery to Doernbecher Children’s Hospital at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland on Monday, Dec. 14. This was the eighth year the casino held its annual Holiday Toy Drive that encouraged casino guests to bring in new, unwrapped toys in exchange for free slot play. Eleven pallets of toys were delivered and they will be given to children at the hospital throughout the year. In addition to the donated toys, the casino purchased $6,000 worth of toys, games, books and crafts for the hospital. Spirit Mountain Casino Marketing Director Shawna Ridgebear, left, gives Erika Halloran, a Health Unit coordinator at Oregon Health & Science University, a basket of cookies at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland on Monday, Dec. 14. In addition to the casino delivering toys collected from the toy drive, staff members also gave each of the nurse’s stations at Doernbecher a basket of cookies to thank them for their hard work. Casino employees also handed out candy canes to outpatients. Community Fund distributes $646,429 By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor S pirit Mountain Community Fund, the phil- anthropic arm of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, continued its quarterly presentation of grants on Wednesday, Dec. 16, awarding a combined $646,429 to 30 nonprofi t Photo by Michelle Alaimo organizations. The awards were distributed in the Gover- nance Center Atrium. The Community Fund distributes grants to See FUND continued on page 18 Torre Chisholm, Chief Development Offi cer for Special Olympics Oregon, talks with Spirit Mountain Community Fund Board of Trustees Chairman Sho Dozono during the fund’s quarterly grant presentation held in the Governance Center Atrium on Wednesday, Dec. 16.
