All 28 tribes included in an agreement that will allow more slot machines in casinos such as the Jamestown S’Klallam’s 7 Cedars Casino in Blyn have signed off on it, it was announced Thursday.
The pact will be considered by the Washington State Gambling Association on March 9, said Jerry Allen, assistant general manager of the 7 Cedars Casino.
If the state association approves it, it will go to the federal Department of Interior for review.
“We are basically two steps away from this becoming available to us,” Allen said on Thursday.
The compact among the tribes calls for the addition of 300 additional slot machines allotted to each tribe, which currently can have up to 675 each, Allen said.
The 7 Cedars Casino now has about 325 slot machines, with the rest of its allotment leased out to larger tribes.
“When I get the additional 300 permits, I will use some of them in bingo hall renovation, and if I don’t use all 300, I will take the remaining balance and lease them to larger tribes who need more allocation,” Allen said.
The renovation includes expanding the casino into the bingo area and relocating bingo to another facility on the same premises.
The compacts among the tribes also include an increase in betting limits on some of the machines.
“That won’t make a big difference to us, because that is a pretty high end market,” Allen said.
“Our locals probably won’t take that as seriously as some others.”
Longer hours would be permitted as well.
“This would allow 24 hours of operation a day,” Allen said.
The 7 Cedars Casino would not likely use the longer hours now.
“I don’t have a whole lot of business at 3 a.m.,” he said.
“We probably won’t do anything with that until we get the hotel in.”
The tribe plans to build a seven-story hotel and conference center just south of the casino, and a Country Store and Gathering Place with a gas station on the highway east of the casino as well as expand the casino itself.
It acquired the former Dungeness Golf Club northwest of Sequim two months ago, renaming it the Cedars at Dungeness.
The tribe plans to package it with the Blyn facilities as a destination resort.
