| SUQUAMISH,
WA - The closest Vegas-style casino to Seattle opened Friday,
August 22 in Kitsap County, marking completion of an 11-year
development process for the Suquamish Tribe. Just a short, relaxing
ferry ride from downtown Seattle or Edmonds, Clearwater is the
only casino in the region offering natural, wooded views of
Puget Sound.
"Clearwater
Casino is the closest casino to downtown Seattle,"
said Russell Steele, CEO. He cited the 35-minute scenic ferry
ride to Bainbridge Island as the primary reason Seattleites
will prefer Clearwater to other tribal casinos with longer drive
times from downtown. Clearwater
Casino will reimburse casino guests for walk-on ferry fare
until September 30th, plus offer free shuttle service from the
Bainbridge Island or Kingston ferry terminals.
The new
Clearwater
Casino has a 23,000-square-foot gaming floor with nearly
900 slot machines and 33 gaming tables. Additionally, the casino
offers an area for Keno, a poker room and a larger space for
bingo. The new Clearwater
Casino is the only casino in Washington State to feature
a non-smoking poker room and bingo hall. Its 14 fresh-air handlers
are capable of completely changing the air every 90 seconds.
The new casino replaces a structure one third its size, a combination
of a permanent tent and bingo hall built in 1992.
There is
something for everyone at Clearwater
Casino, including families. The casino features a design
that allows guests of all ages to arrive at the grand entrance
and completely bypass the casino floor to enjoy one of the three
restaurants, attend meetings or banquets in the convention center,
peruse a tribal art display, or visit the gift shop. Guests
in the Longhouse Buffet are invited to make their selections
from a tempting double-service buffet line and then sit and
enjoy spectacular Puget Sound views through oversized picture
windows. The Cedar Steakhouse provides an intimate setting plus
steaks from the same prime corn-fed, Midwest beef that is served
in many of the region's finest steak houses.
"We've
included something for everyone in the new Clearwater
Casino," said Steele. "The Suquamish place an
emphasis on family and family values and their new destination
casino reflects that."
Clearwater
Casino has come a long way. At 3,600 square feet, the new
kitchen is 12 times the size of the original. Its staff will
provide meals for guests in the new Clearwater
Casino's three restaurants, convention center and expanded
bingo hall.
|
Clearwater
Casino's 7-story, 900-plus space parking garage is the only
covered casino parking structure in the region. Guests emerge
from the garage directly onto the main casino floor, thus avoiding
exposure to the elements year-round. Supplementary parking is
provided by 400 additional surface parking spaces.
The Grand
Opening for the new Clearwater
Casino is August 22-28, 2003, and will feature chances to
win a Holland America Cruise, cash prizes and other giveaways.
The new Clearwater
Casino has nightly entertainment; Grand Opening shows include:
The Divas, with tribute- acts Madonna, Shania Twain, Aretha
Franklin and Celine Dion; Premier; The Afrodisiacs and a comedy
night.
The culture
of the Suquamish Tribe is centered around respect for family
and the environment. Influential members of the Suquamish Tribe
include "Chief" Sealth (also known as Chief Seattle)
and "Chief" Kitsap. The Tribe currently consists of
approximately 840 members and is responsible for operating the
Grover Creek Fish Hatchery, two convenience store/gas stations,
and the Clearwater
Casino.
The Suquamish
Tribe opened the first Clearwater
Casino in 1992 as a bingo hall. A permanent tent, known
as the 39-Day Wonder, was later added to house the casino. Placing
a premium on service, the Clearwater
Casino employs more than 525 team members. Clearwater is
the second largest private employer in
Kitsap County. |
New
Chumash Casino Resort Opens to the Public
|
 SANTA
YNEZ, CA - Just after midnight on Saturday, August 16,
2003, the new Chumash
Casino Resort officially opened its doors to the public
amid plenty of cheers, but little fanfare.
"Our
late night soft opening was the result of the Santa Ynez
Band of Chumash Indians continuing to be good neighbors,"
said Tribal Chairman Vincent Armenta. "We wanted
to avoid potential traffic and parking issues, so we opened
to the public quietly."
Chairman Armenta said that the opening
of the new facility signals the beginning of a new era
for the tribe. "For nine years we have operated our
casino from a small original building and two temporary,
make-shift structures," he said. "Now, we have
a beautiful new building, complete with all the amenities
to create a total entertainment experience for our patrons
and neighbors."
Prior to the public opening, a private
party was held on Saturday evening for enrolled tribal
members and their guests. Some 700 guests were treated
to a steak and lobster sit-down dinner, a performance
by Robert Mirabal and dancing to the Sneezy Boys.
"It was a fantastic evening,"
said Robert Ortega, Vice Chairman of the 157-member tribe.
"Our members had an opportunity to see our beautiful
new casino resort prior to the public and they loved it."
The new 200,000 square-foot facility includes
a gaming area with table games and 2,000 slot machines,
casino administration offices and five dining venues:
the Creekside Buffet, The Chumash Cafe, The Deli, The
Bingo Snack Bar and the fine dining restaurant, Willows.
The fine dining restaurant is scheduled to open in mid
September.
Since breaking ground in July 2002, the
Design/Build Project team -- Perini Building Company,
Thalden Boyd Architects and Summit Architects Collaborative
-- oversaw construction of the facility and finished three
months ahead of schedule.
At the peak month, construction included
over 57,000 man-hours. More than 9,000 people were involved
in the building process, including fabricators, suppliers,
and craftsmen.
The
Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians was recognized as a
tribe by the federal government in 1901. There are 157
enrolled members in the tribe. The tribe operates its
Chumash
Casino on reservation land and employs more than 800
employees. The tribe is the largest employer in the Santa
Ynez Valley.
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