BLYN — While Native American casinos throughout the nation are rebounding from the Great Recession, the economic downturn has had a negligible effect on the region’s largest gaming center, 7 Cedars.
The casino posted double-digit growth from about 1999 to 2009, followed by 8 percent to
9 percent growth in subsequent years, said Jerry Allen, chief executive officer.
“We’ve been very fortunate around here,” he said. “Our market is a little more stable.”
7 Cedars’ senior-based market kept the chips rolling in when most tribal casinos began to struggle in 2007 and 2008, Allen said.
“We were a little bit of an anomaly,” he said.
Revenue for the other casino on the North Olympic Peninsula, the Elwha River Casino on the Lower Elwha Klallam reservation, was not available, tribal spokeswoman Brenda Francis said.
The 7,000-square-foot, all-slots casino at 631 Stratton Road opened in March 2009 with more than 100 slot machines and the River’s Edge Deli.
Nationally, tribal casinos posted a 3 percent gain in revenue to $27.4 billion in 2011. It was the second straight year that the industry posted gains following the recession.
Allen could not provide revenue data beyond the growth percentage.
“Our growth has been modest, in the high single-digits in the last two years,” said Allen, brother of Jamestown S’Klallam tribe Chief Executive Officer Ron Allen.
Last December, the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe opened a new slot machine room, Napoli’s Restaurant and the Rainforest Bar in the former bingo hall in the south wing of 7 Cedars Casino.
Slots are the casino’s main source of revenue.
The $7.5 million, 3,500-square-foot expansion increased the slot capacity of the casino, which opened in 1995, from 550 to 750.
It was also a prelude to the tribe’s grand plan to build a $60 million to $75 million hotel and resort adjacent to the casino at 270756 U.S. Highway 101.
The tribe plans to build the infrastructure for the resort this year. A target date for the resort has not been announced.
Jerry Allen said the new slot room at 7 Cedars has been well-received, especially by guests who prefer a quieter gaming environment when the traditional casino floor with its table games and surrounding bars and restaurants is bustling on weekends.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
