BLYN — The financial meltdown affecting the nation continues to push back the opening of the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe’s seven-story hotel and conference center planned for near its 7 Cedars Casino.
With financing becoming harder to come by, the tribe likely will be unable to break ground on the additions, estimated at $80 million total, until spring 2010, said Ron Allen, tribal chairman.
With a 24-month work schedule, that places its completion in spring 2012.
In November, the tribe’s CEO, Jerry Allen, said that opening day was expected to occur next summer, a delay from the original date.
He cited the difficulty of finding enough financing at that time for causing delays in the project.
“It’s a little more challenging now, under the current financial climate,” Ron Allen said. “We have to gather together numerous banks to package up a loan of that size now. In the past we could deal with a couple of banks.”
Develop in phases
In order to address this problem, Ron Allen said the tribe has to under take development in phases.
He said that means expanding the casino over the next seven months and building the infrastructure, such as a parking garage, that goes along with the hotel and conference center before those facilities are constructed.
“We are delaying breaking ground on the resort until the infrastructure is in,” he said.
The $20 million extension includes replacing the casino’s bingo area with 200 machines and 10-12 table games.
It also involves expanding the casino by about 30 feet.
“We’re not going to have bingo,” Ron Allen said. “As of March, bingo will be gone.”
The tribe’s plans include connecting the conference center to the casino with a resort hotel located behind it, and a 100-foot totem pole.
The tribe purchased the Cedars at Dungeness Golf Course, located on Woodcock Road, for $3 million in 2007 and completed the $12 million Longhouse Market & Deli last spring.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
