8
S moke S ignals
JULY 1, 2016
Casino opens new north entrance
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
Spirit Mountain Casino opened
its new north entrance with a rib-
bon cutting ceremony on Wednes-
day, June 22.
The new entrance, for adults 21
and older since it leads directly on
to the gaming floor, is the first out-
wardly visible sign of a $13 million
renovation to the 20-year-old casino
that was approved by Tribal Coun-
cil in November.
Spirit Mountain Casino Market-
ing Director Shawna Ridgebear
said the new north entrance is a
new beginning for Spirit Mountain
that is energizing employees.
In all, the extensive remodeling
will affect about 82,000 square feet
of the casino and better position
Spirit Mountain to compete with
potential new gaming competition
in 2017.
“I’ve got volcano lava running
through my veins right now,” Ridge-
bear said. “The north entrance truly
does represent Spirit Mountain
Casino’s com-
mitment to our
guests. It was
their voices that
helped inspire the
north entrance to
give our guests
better access to
the parking and
direct access to
our gaming floor.
It also starts the
physical part of
our remodel, a
very extensive, multi-million dollar
remodel that is only going to open
a new chapter for Spirit Mountain
Casino. So here’s to our contin-
ued success that we can continue
making our community and all of
Oregon better.”
Photos by Dean Rhodes
From left, Tribal Council Secretary Cheryle A. Kennedy, Tribal Elder and Spirit
Mountain Gaming Inc. Board member Wink Soderberg and Tribal Council
Vice Chair Jack Giffen Jr., who also sits on the Spirit Mountain Gaming Board
of Directors, cut the ceremonial ribbon for the opening of Spirit Mountain
Casino’s new north entrance on Wednesday, June 22. The entrance is for
guests 21 and older because it leads directly on to the gaming floor.
Tribal Council Vice Chairman Jack
Giffen Jr. speaks to Spirit Mountain
Casino employees and others in
attendance during the ribbon
cutting for the new north entrance
on Wednesday, June 22. Tribal
Elder and Spirit Mountain Gaming
Inc. Board member Steve Bobb Sr.,
left, listens.
Tribal Elder Steve Bobb Sr., a
member of the Spirit Mountain
Gaming Inc. Board of Directors,
opened the ribbon cutting event
with an invocation before a Grand
Ronde drum led by Culture Depart-
ment employees Bobby Mercier and
Brian Krehbiel performed a song.
“I want to thank everybody for
the outstanding work that they did
here,” Bobb said after delivering
the invocation. “I want to thank
our Tribal Council for their ulti-
mate wisdom to move forward with
bringing this new energy and new
beginning to our casino.”
Tribal Council Vice Chair Jack
Giffen Jr. welcomed attendees,
which consisted mostly of casino
employees, to the event.
“I want to welcome everyone here
to a new chapter in Spirit Mountain
Casino’s legacy,” Giffen said. “Many
of us Tribal members have been
here for many of the openings for
new additions to the casino. I hope
this brings forth more enjoyment to
our guests and gives our staff more
tools to make the dollars that go to
the Tribe.”
Tribal Council Secretary Cheryle
A. Kennedy and Tribal Council mem-
ber Brenda Tuomi also attended.
“I want to express my appreci-
ation to all of the staff who have
worked to bring forward with beau-
tiful new entrance,” Kennedy said.
“I think that the color selection here
really guides you into the building,
and I enjoy that.
“To me, the new additional en-
trance represents more opportuni-
ties for us. More ways that we can
do things and help Oregon be a
better state. As we continue to earn
money, we are able to return back
to Oregon, and what a wonderful
thing to do.”
Approximately 6 percent of Spirit
Mountain Casino profits are fun-
neled into the Tribe’s philanthropic
entity, Spirit Mountain Community
Fund, which has given back more
than $70 million in grants since its
inception in 1997.
Spirit Mountain Casino General
Manager Stan Dillon said the north
entrance is just the first of 10 re-
modeling phases.
“I really do think it will keep us as
one of the premier gaming industry
casinos in the country,” Dillon said.
“I think it will be something that we
can all be proud of.”
Tribal Elder and former Tribal
Council member Wink Soderberg,
who also sits on the Spirit Moun-
tain Gaming Board of Directors,
joined Giffen and Kennedy in cut-
ting the ceremonial red ribbon.
The Grand Ronde drum sang
another song to close the ceremony.
I-5 Design and Manufacture Inc.
of Lacey, Wash., is performing the
remodeling work.
“Now on to Phase Two,” Ridge-
bear said as employees entered
the casino through the new opened
entrance.
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