NCW Economic Development District Newsroom

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Tribes Begin Work on New Omak Casino

OMAK (July 8, 2008) — Clutching brand new shovels and wearing bright white hard hats, leaders of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation on Monday dug into the earth on a site just off Highway 97, where next summer a new $24 million Omak Casino will open for business.

At a time when its government departments have suffered major cutbacks due to declining revenues, the tribes' casinos continue to be the bright spot in the picture, tribal officials say.

The new casino will employ 250 people with a $4 million-a-year payroll, tribal officials estimate. It will generate about $20 million in revenue for Colville Tribal Enterprise Corp., which gives 80 percent of its gaming profits to provide tribal services.
The new casino won't replace the nearby Okanogan Bingo Casino, which now employs 100 people and will become a bingo hall with a few gaming machines once the Omak Casino opens.

"Really, our savior has been the casino, for this corporation," John MacClain, chairman of CTEC, said in opening remarks. CTEC is owned and operated by the Colville tribes, and manages several businesses, including three casinos, lumber and plywood mills, a construction company and several tourist-related facilities.

Last year, casinos brought in one-third of CTEC's revenues, said CTEC spokeswoman Michelle Campobasso.

MacClain said the 58,000-square-foot casino — which will offer 400 to 500 gaming machines, game tables, a poker room, a players club, two restaurants and a lounge — is only the first phase of the Omak development. A hotel and conference center will follow.  And other new casinos are in the works, he said, noting the tribes have a compact with Washington state that allows six casinos. "There's bigger and better to come," he said.

Tribal chairman Mike Marchand, who is also on CTEC's board of directors, said it took decades to plan this casino, including the tribes' efforts to retain its sovereignty and work out gambling compacts with Washington state. "This is the first time we ever sat down with a bare piece of ground and a blank piece of paper and said, 'What do we want to build?' " he said.

Marchand said the casinos have been the tribes' most profitable venture.
Studies show the casinos can make twice as much money with nicer facilities.
Campobasso said all three of the tribes' casinos have remodeled their facilities, with profitable results.

"All three casinos seem to be doing much better with the remodeling jobs," she said. "There's a lot of positive changes happening in the gaming industry, and the revenue and profits show that," she said.

For Colville members, the casinos not only offer jobs that provide $9.6 million in payroll, they also support more than 1,000 vendors and make huge contributions to local communities. Leaders said some tribal members worry because the property had flooded in past years. It's located on the southern edge of Omak between Highway 97 and the Okanogan River. But before construction begins, the ground will be raised to prevent flooding, they said.

Before 17 shovels broke the ground, Tribal elder Andy Joseph Sr. offered a prayer for the land with a special blessing for those who are having a tough time surviving, like single mothers. He chanted "for the sake of our creator, our maker, the animals, the salmon, everything we have on this good earth of ours."

"This is going to be the location of our casino, and a number of us elders were on the board when they were getting ready to plan it," Joseph said. He later concluded, "We need it for jobs. We need it for employment. We need it for the sake of the people in our community."

By K.C. Mehaffey, Wenatchee World staff writer: 997-2512, mehaffey@wenworld.com

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Let's Connect to the Cascades

Wenatchee, WA (Jul 4, 2008) - In recent months, I've had the opportunity to interview a number of community leaders about the things they value most about living in North Central Washington. Virtually every person has highlighted two common themes - pride in the natural beauty of the North Cascades and a tremendous sense of community.

So when the folks at the Wilderness Society came to me looking for support for their North Cascades Initiative recently, I was curious to see what they had in mind. Having seen lots of organizations paint doom-and-gloom scenarios, I've become a believer in the power of more constructive approaches.

To my delight, their focus is on connecting people and communities to the beauty of the North Cascades. That was a vision I could enthusiastically support. We're one of a number of partners throughout the state who have signed on to support the Wilderness Society's North Cascades Initiative. Others include the North Cascades National Park, Recreational Equipment Inc., the North Central Washington Economic

Development District, the Cascade Loop Association, the Snohomish YMCA and Seattle radio station KMTT.

What the organization is trying to do fits perfectly with our mission of working for a vibrant regional economy, building a strong sense of community and helping connect folks with the amazing natural beauty of the region.

Jennifer Stephens, the communicators director for the Wilderness Society, described the North Cascades this way: "It's such a big, wild ecosystem that is still very pristine and has world-class recreation. The natural beauty is so close to so many people."

The North Cascades Initiative is focused on raising awareness and inspiring action. Familiarity breeds complacency and too many of us in turn take the great outdoors for granted. We forget that the North Cascades is a big reason people move here, start businesses and stay.

The environment we live in is also a great economic driver, for that reason. Our civic leaders are beginning to connect those dots, thankfully. We are a recreational mecca and it's encouraging to see communities and civic officials starting to play to that strength.

If the Wilderness Society and other organizations can build greater awareness and help encourage people to share that experience with their sons and daughters, we have a better chance of leaving future generations a resource-rich legacy.

One of the challenges in today's society is getting youngsters out from in front of the computer or television and into nature. It's the notion inspired in part by the No Child Left Inside Coalition. That point was illustrated beautifully for me recently when I visited a youth camp (outside of North Central Washington) and they were teaching counselors how to ride bikes and fish. A number had never had any exposure. That

was a shocker.

To get folks outside, the Wilderness Society has built a Web site with lots of resources to help people enjoy the North Cascades. There are opportunities for stewardship and other volunteer activities as well as basic information about great places to experience. It can be found at experiencewilderness.org.

All of us who live here have an obligation to make sure that we leave to future generations the best of what we have found here.

Now all we need to do is get out there and experience what nature has to offer. So take advantage of the great weather, pack up the car and head to a park, trailhead or scenic vista and experience what makes this place unique.

Rufus Woods is editor and publisher of The Wenatchee World. Reach him at

665-1162 or rwoods@wenworld.com.

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EDD Update & Upcoming Events

June 30, 2008

• The Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for North Central Washington is available online for review:http://www.ncwedd.com/scope.htm.  This regional document has been created with the input from a wide variety of partners and agencies and identifies key opportunities for the region, while outlining priorities and initiatives for the NCWEDD.

• The Washington Wilderness Coalition (WWC) is seeking board members to represent North Central Washington in its efforts to protect remaining wild lands and waters around the state. WWC has an interest in the economic benefits of wild area preservation and the organization’s leadership is currently seeking interested parties to serve a one-year term with subsequent two-year commitments.  The organization holds four board meetings a year, and board members are expected to attend all four, though attending via conference call is acceptable. Interested candidates should contact Terry Fernsler at (206) 633-1992 ext. 109 or terryf@wawild.org

• Earlier this week, Russ Fletcher, the Founder of the Montana Associated Technology Roundtables (MATR) gave a presentation to a group of regional leaders. Fletcher is a consultant and advisor to startup organizations on management, marketing, strategic direction and finance. He is also an activist for the improvement of the Montana and Inland Northwest economies. Fletcher outlined a series of case studies on business innovation, entrepreneurship and ways to diversify and enhance the economies of rural communities. This was a fascinating presentation that outlined several best practices that could be duplicated in North Central Washington. For more information, visit www.matr.net

• Don’t miss the Economic Alliance’s annual Golf Scramble! The date is Saturday, July 26 and the event starts with a 9am shotgun start. It will be held at the Oroville Golf Club to coincide with the Centennial Celebration. For more information, or to register a team, be sure to contact Roni Holder-Diefenbach at (509) 826-5107 or rholderdiefenbach@economic-alliance.com

• The benchmarking community indicators project being implemented in Chelan and Douglas Counties is progressing. To date, all focus groups have been concluded and data is being gathered on each specific indicator. Site design drafts are currently being developed and should be available for review by the steering committee within the next month. The official site launch is set for November 12 at 4:00pm.

• Robert Fine, the Director of Economic Development for the Regional District of Central Okanagan, and an instrumental partner in bringing the 2010 Winter Games to Vancouver, will make a presentation outlining 2010 community opportunities to the Via 97 committee on August 1 in Chelan. Fine will spend Thursday, July 31 touring facilities in Wenatchee and Leavenworth. To learn more, contact Jennifer Korfiatis at (509) 665-0208.

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B.C.-Washington Work to Improve Cross-Border Travel

KELOWNA, B.C. (June 30, 2008) – Premier Gordon Campbell and Washington Governor Chris Gregoire will co-lead a mission to Ottawa and Washington to present a new joint Border Action Plan, signed today at the third annual B.C.-Washington Joint Cabinet Meeting. The plan calls for the Canadian and U.S. federal governments to continue to work with B.C. and Washington state to streamline cross-border travel and trade to avert mounting border line-ups as the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games approach.

“B.C. and Washington share a $9.5-billion trade relationship, close personal ties, and strong cultural connections. Working with Governor Gregoire’s administration, we have reached agreements that will help improve the traffic situation at the border,” Premier Campbell said. “Both federal governments have supported B.C. and Washington on the Enhanced Driver’s License program and Canada’s federal government has partnered with B.C. on a $285-million infrastructure improvement program. As the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games approach, it is important that all levels of government continue to partner to ensure we have a safe, secure border that is able to move people and goods efficiently.”

“With the 2010 Olympics fast approaching, the time is now to tackle some of our border challenges,” said Governor Gregoire. “We need secure borders. We also need a system in place that allows traffic to cross the border safely and quickly if we want to continue to promote trade and tourism. I appreciate the partnership Washington has developed with B.C., and I’m pleased with the progress we have made together so far. But we have more work to do. We can’t put this off any longer, and we need the co-operation of both federal governments to finish what we started.”

More than 1.3 million trucks cross the U.S-B.C. border each year. The four main ports of entry between B.C. and the Puget Sound area include the third-busiest passenger vehicle and the fourth-busiest commercial crossings along the U.S-Canada border.

The agreement signed today by B.C. and Washington will see the province and state work together and engage with the federal governments for action on several key areas:

• Action on border infrastructure and operations:

Ensure that construction plans for the Peace Arch entry point allow that 10 booths will be available on the U.S. side in time for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games;

• Ensure adequate staffing of the four Cascade border crossings, especially during the 2010 Olympics and upgrading of Peace Arch;

Action on border waits and processing – improve infrastructure and upgrade secure Remote Frequency Identification (RFID) readers to support NEXUS, FAST and Enhanced Driver’s Licences;

Action to increase use of NEXUS and FAST – marketing to frequent border crossers in the Lower Mainland and Puget Sound areas in partnership with the business community, tourism industry, and regional organizations;

Action on the Enhanced Driver’s License program – increase promotion, practical support, and consider Enhanced Driver’s Licences as a valid document for Canada-U.S. air travel;

• Action to reduce emissions at the border – develop a joint anti-idling program and improve communication on wait times and line-up conditions for border crossings to help drivers make informed decisions about where and when to travel;

• Action on compatibility of cross border communications – ensure first responders can communicate effectively in emergency situations on both sides of the B.C.-Washington border and work to harmonize transportation communication systems.

Five other agreements were also signed during the B.C-Washington Joint Cabinet meeting, including:

Work-plan on Public Safety and Transportation Radio Communications Systems;

Memorandum on Greening the Border

Memorandum on Alternative Fuel Distribution

Memorandum on Coastal Climate Change Adaptation

• Memorandum on Collaboration on Tourism

This is the third joint Cabinet meeting between B.C. and Washington. Since 2005, B.C. and Washington have signed 17 agreements, including collaboration on Climate Action and Pacific Ocean Preservation (2007), forests (2007), clean-technology market opportunities (2007) the Enhanced Drivers License (2006), emergency management (2006), public health (2006) and transportation (2006).

From the Office of the Governor of Washington State and the Office of the Premier.

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A beautiful visit to Central Washington State to talk about developing the economic strength of rural communities

June 24, 2008 - I had the pleasure of addressing the annual conference of The Association of Washington Public Hospital Districts http://awphd.org/ yesterday beside beautiful Lake Chelan, Washington to encourage health care leaders to continue to take leadership roles in the development of their local economies. If their enthusiasm is any indication, the rural communities of Washington state are in for a bright economic future.

Thanks to Jeff Mero and all those who made this a very enjoyable visit. (Thank you Wendy for working through the technical glitches with a smile on your face. Much appreciated. And to Bill for a great tour and history of the region.)

I then had a follow up conversation with a group of economic development leaders from Washington state via their new video conferencing system.

After the last presentation, I had a conversation with Jay Kehne who's the NCW-RD&D Coordinator in Okanogan, WA. As he was explaining the beauty and attractiveness of his slice of heaven in Washington state, he handed me a DVD that would leave me with a permanent lasting impression of the environment of North Central Washington. Beautiful marketing!

Here's a great way to engage those who'd like to learn more about the qualities of the environment that surrounds rural communities.

The mission of the Initiative for Rural Innovation & Stewardship is to advance the development of sustainable rural communities and natural resource-based economies by facilitating research, education, and development projects that effect positive change within the agriculture and natural resource sectors.

Click Here to watch "The Nature of North Central Washington" DVD http://www.ncwrcd.org/natureofncw.html  To learn more about the video and North Central Washington at jay.kehne@wa.usda.gov

Russ russ@matr.net This article can also be viewed at http://matr.net/article-29675.html

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Press Release

OKANOGAN, Wash. (March 25, 2008) – Some 100 new jobs may soon be created along a newly designated Heavy Haul Corridor along a five mile stretch of Highway 97 from the Canadian border to the Reman and Reload facility just south of Oroville, Washington, thanks to a bill that was recently signed into law by Gov. Christine Gregoire.

Substitute Senate Bill 6857, "State Route Number 97," provides a “heavy haul designation” for the highway, which will allow trucks bringing wood products across the border to be fully loaded, according to North Central Washington Resource Conservation and Development Vice President, Chris Branch.

“Without the designation, only partially loaded trucks were allowed to cross the border,” Branch said. “Now, fully loaded trucks can be reloaded onto rail freight cars at the Reman and Reload station and continue by rail to a variety of businesses in Eastern and Western Washington,” he said. 

Branch, who helped facilitate the successful legislation, said the bill requires no additional funding, but will create an estimated 100 new jobs in North Central Washington as additional shifts are hired to load, process, and handle the increased shipments. 

“The Heavy Haul Corridor is not expected to create additional truck traffic, either,” he said. “The difference is that the trucks already crossing the border can now do so with full loads.”

The Bill, introduced by Senator Bob Morton, 7th district Okanogan, came through both the Senate and House with unanimous approval.  This Bill was supported and worked on throughout the current session by a host of legislators, including Senator Dan Swecker of Olympia, Senator Linda Evans-Parlette of Wenatchee, and Senator Mary Margaret Haugen, Chair, Senate Transportation Committee. 

The effort to establish the Heavy Haul Corridor was initiated with the VIA 97 International Alliance Organization.  VIA 97 focuses on the promotion of trade, transportation and tourism along the HWY 97 Corridor from Enderby, B.C. to Wenatchee, Wash.

"This is the type of cross-border cooperation that supports local business in both countries, is good for the economy, and just plain makes sense," said VIA 97 Chair, and Mayor of Osoyoos, John Slater,   

"This seemingly simple Bill will have far reaching positive economic effects," said Ken Stanton, Douglas County Commissioner and Chair of the North Central Washington Economic Development District.  "The NCWEDD was proud to offer our full support of this Bill and want to personally thank Chris Branch and the VIA 97 organization in having the dedication to see this through." 

More information about the NCWRC&D, NCWEDD or the VIA 97 organization can be found at www.ncwrcd.org, www.ncwedd.com and www.via97.org.

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Public Notice

North Central Washington Economic Development District (NCW EDD) regular meetings will be held on the second Wednesday of each month at 9:00 am at the Chelan Fire Station 232 E Wapato, Chelan, WA.

The standing committees of North Central Washington Economic Development District meet as needed.

Any changes, special meetings and/or executive meetings for the NCW EDD and its standing committees will be posted on this site. For more information, contact Jennifer at (509) 665-0208 or email: Jennifer@ncwedd.com

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Click here to see the NCWEDD October 07 Press Release

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The North Central Washington Economic Development District is a federally designated economic development district for the region covering Okanogan, Douglas, and Chelan counties and the Colville Confederate Tribes.

The NCWEDD is responsible for regional economic development strategy and planning and collaborates with various private and public agencies to accomplish this goal.  The NCWEDD brings together the private and public sectors in a partnership necessary to provide a coordinated strategy and an ongoing economic development program for the region.

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