Snoqualmie Tribe plans to invest in a casino operation in Fiji
December 23, 2011
By Lynda Mapes, Seattle Times staff reporter
In its latest business venture the Snoqualmie Tribe is looking all the way to Fiji.
The Fijian government announced Tuesday its decision to grant the nation’s first-ever exclusive gambling license to One Hundred Sands, which has announced plans to build a $290 million, five-star luxury casino resort on Denarau Island, in a partnership with the Snoqualmie Tribe.
“One Hundred Sands has taken care to strategically partner with the Snoqualmie Tribe from Washington State and Seventh Generation LLC, a Native American company with demonstrated excellence establishing new casinos,” said Larry Claunch, chairman of One Hundred Sands, in a news release issued by the prime minister’s office.
Snoqualmie Casino’s credit rating gets a boost from Standard & Poor’s
October 21, 2011
Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has raised its credit rating of Snoqualmie Entertainment Authority, which manages Snoqualmie Casino, from B- to B. The ratings agency announced the change Oct. 21.
Snoqualmie Entertainment Authority is owned by the Snoqualmie Tribe.
The casino’s credit rating is still relatively low.
Snoqualmie Tribe chief apologizes for gag resolution legalizing marijuana
July 15, 2011
Snoqualmie Tribal Chief Jerry Enick publicly apologized Wednesday on behalf of the tribe for a gag resolution legalizing marijuana on the tribe’s reservation passed last week by the Tribal Council.
The council passed the resolution in a 4-2 vote as a joke for an upcoming show by country singer and marijuana legalization advocate Willie Nelson at Snoqualmie Casino, which the tribe owns.
In a public statement, Enick criticized the council for using a resolution as a joke. He apologized “to all Native Americans everywhere, and to the public at large for the behavior of this current sitting Snoqualmie Tribal Council…”
Snoqualmie Casino’s new CEO could play big role in refinancing its existing debt
May 11, 2011
Snoqualmie Casino has a new boss.
Jon Jenkins has taken over as CEO of the casino, which is owned by the Snoqualmie Tribe. Jenkins began his new job in April.
Jon Jenkins
Among Jenkins’ biggest roles could be ensuring the tribe gets good interest rates when the casino’s debt is refinanced in coming years.
Jenkins has more than 30 years of experience in the gaming industry, according to a news release from the casino. Most recently, he worked at Casino Arizona and Talking Stick Resort, where he spent nearly 14 years as its president and CEO.
Much of his career has been spent with tribal-run entities. Jenkins also has experience with the industry’s marketing and hospitality sides.
After complaints, Snoqualmie Casino shortens concert season
March 23, 2011
After receiving dozens of calls complaining about its outdoor concerts last summer, Snoqualmie Casino has implemented several changes to its schedule at Mountain View Plaza.
The season will be shorter; shows will start and end earlier; there will be fewer double billings and the casino will not hold any Friday concerts.
The casino has also started a phone hotline for community members who have questions or comments about the outdoor concerts — 888-HELP (4357).
“Respectful, constructive messages and calls will be addressed in various ways, including callbacks,” Snoqualmie Casino Vice President of Marketing Matt Gallagher said.
In 2010, the casino held 31 concerts from June 17 to Sept. 2, with most concerts ending at 10 p.m., the time in the city of Snoqualmie’s noise ordinance. The speakers from the venue pointed toward the Snoqualmie Valley, and some residents said they could hear it three miles away, and that it kept them up at night.
Other residents applauded the concerts, calling them free shows for the Valley.
This summer, the casino has shortened the season from July to August.
Snoqualmie Casino announces summer concert lineup
March 2, 2011
Snoqualmie Casino unveiled its 2011 summer concert series today. The lineup features 20 events during the months of July and August.
Performers include the 2010 ACM “Male Vocalist of the Year,” Blake Shelton and Loretta Lynn. Rumble on the Ridge 19 is expected to draw a big crowd again this year.
Internal fight in Snoqualmie Tribe spills over into casino
February 22, 2011
A fight in the Snoqualmie Tribal Council prompted an unexpected $14 million buyout of the Snoqualmie Casino’s CEO, but doesn’t threaten the casino’s viability in the short-term.
The decision caught many members off guard because it came only two months after the council had voted to maintain casino CEO Mike Barozzi’s contract. The experienced casino manager had been an integral part of the tribe’s pitch to investors when they put together the casino’s financing.
Losing Barozzi could affect the interest rate the tribe gets when it has to refinance the casino’s debt in a couple years.
The controversy is the latest episode in a long series of internal troubles for the insular, tight-lipped tribe.
Snoqualmie Tribe buys out casino CEO
February 17, 2011
The Snoqualmie Tribe has bought out Snoqualmie Casino’s CEO Michael Barozzi for an unspecified sum.
A statement from the tribe praised Barozzi’s accomplishments running the casino, which opened in 2008.
Snoqualmie Tribe sends $350,000 to community organizations from casino mitigation money
August 4, 2010
NEW — 6:27 p.m. Aug. 4, 2010
Snoqualmie Valley groups received more than $350,000 from the Snoqualmie Tribe in its first disbursement of mitigation money from the tribe-owned Snoqualmie Casino.
The payments were based on the casino’s proceeds from its opening in November 2008 through 2009. They are required as part of the tribe’s compact with Washington state.
Representatives from the tribe, Snoqualmie, King County and the state evaluated the applicants.
The tribe was able to provide money to all of the groups that applied, according to Tribal Administrator Matt Mattson.
The payments were audited by the Washington State Gambling Commission.
The following organizations received money: Encompass ($40,000), Mount Si Food Bank ($20,000), Mt. Si Senior Center ($59,638), Snoqualmie Valley Community Network ($35,200), Snoqualmie Valley Transportation ($85,243) and the future Snoqualmie Valley YMCA-operated community center ($116,667).
Snoqualmie Tribe gives out more than $350,000 in mitigation money from casino
July 28, 2010
NEW — 4:50 p.m. July 28, 2010
Snoqualmie Valley groups received more than $350,000 from the Snoqualmie Tribe in its first disbursement of mitigation money from the tribe-owned Snoqualmie Casino.
The payments were based on the casino’s proceeds from its opening in November 2008 through 2009. They are required as part of the tribe’s compact with Washington state.
