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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (March 15, 2017)
PRESORTED STANDARD MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID PORTLAND, OR PERMIT NO. 700 Grand Ronde Police Station opens — pg. 17 MARCH 15, 2017 Grand Ronde preparing for totality in August By Brent Merrill Smoke Signals staff writer T his summer, when day turns to night around 10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 21, in Grand Ronde, employees at Spirit Mountain Ca- sino plan to be ready to witness celestial history. When the moon passes between the Earth and sun, a total solar eclipse will provide a momen- tary sliver of daytime darkness from one corner of the United States to another while guests at the Tribe’s casino will be treating themselves to an assortment of breakfast juices and pastries in the narrow path of totality. “This is something that has been on our radar since right after I got here two years ago,” Spirit Mountain Casino Marketing Director Shawna Ridgebear said. “We are creating one big event around it – one big viewing party with separation for our VIPs.” Ridgebear said casino staff will be serving a continental breakfast in a roped-off area des- ignated for high rollers. Staff will be handing out viewing glasses to all guests throughout the casino. “We are in such a great viewing area,” Ridge- bear said. “We know we are going to have a lot of people so we definitely want to make sure our VIPs feel special and that they are taken care of and really enjoy it in the style that they are accustomed to. We want to make them feel valued as Spirit Mountain players.” Ridgebear and Spirit Mountain Casino Gen- eral Manager Stan Dillon said they are aware of Oregon hotels and resorts selling out their rooms well in advance of the solar eclipse and that Spirit Mountain Lodge is currently prepar- ing packages around the eclipse for its guests. Dillon said the lodge’s booking system is not set up to book rooms more than two months in advance. “One thing about our system is you can’t go very far out because the system doesn’t allow you to,” Dillon said. “We haven’t sold (rooms yet) because custom- arily we don’t sell that far out,” Ridgebear said. “We will be making fun packages with our rooms for people to be able to buy. We’re going to be giving those people who haven’t had a chance to See ECLIPSE continued on page 11