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Seven Cedar Casino Construction
IN THE SMALL TOWN OF BLYN 15 years ago, excitement was building about the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe opening a casino. Some 15 years later, that excitement still remains at 7 Cedars Casino.
When the casino opened its doors Feb. 4, 1995, the tribe was entering uncharted territory.
“We were only the fourth casino in the state, so we were on the front end of the learning curve,” said Jerry Allen, CEO of JKT Gaming Inc., which operates the casino, Jamestown S’Klallam Longhouse Market & Deli and The Cedars at Dungeness.
“The idea for the casino started during the time I was on the tribal council with my older brother, Ron Allen, between 1989 and 1993. A few tribes in the state were just starting to get into
gaming, and the council began considering the idea of opening a bingo hall. Ron pushed the idea of a casino.”
Soon the council was talking to an architect and seeking advice from others in the casino
business in the United States and Canada.
“We did a lot of research about what was happening across the country and found that Indian gaming was really starting to explode elsewhere,” Jerry Allen said.
“We bought the land to build the casino in 1990 or 1991, started planning in the fall of 1991 and broke ground June 12, 1994. The casino took seven months to build.”
When the casino opened, bingo and speed bingo — a fast-paced bingo — and table games were the focus of the business.
Allen said the casino employed about 450 people during the first few years because table games are so labor intensive.
“Our leanest days were in 1997 and 1998, when a lot of new casinos in the state started coming on the scene,” he said.
“People across the state had more choices close to home and didn’t need to travel to Blyn to play.”
Although tribal leaders were a little worried about the downturn, they focused on providing great customer experiences and planned for the future.
Glenn Smithson, director of gaming operations at the casino, remembers how each new game added to a customer’s experience.
The arrival of slot machines in the casino in July 1999 was one of the most exciting times for the casino.
The casino started with 125 machines in 1999. That number grew to 325 machines by 2005, but it did not meet customer demand.
New gaming rules allowed the casino to boost their slot numbers over the years.
Currently, the casino has 499 machines and will expand its offerings to 529 slot machines in April.
“7CC is consistently striving along with the support of our gaming vendors to offer new and exciting slot machines,” Smithson said.
“Original basic slot machines have evolved to now offer features such as multi bonuses, numerous denomination choices (from a half- cent to $5), 100 line games, 100 free spins and many, many different themes.
“We also offer slot machine cabinets with ergonomic designs for seating comfort and large LCD flat touch screens for viewing and playing pleasure.
“In the beginning, 7 Cedars slot machines were paying out thousands of dollars in jackpots. Now we are paying millions of dollars in jackpots each year.”
The largest to date was won on Nov. 3, 2009 for a grand prize total of $226,029.75.
In 2008, the casino added the Players’ Club, which currently has a membership of 43,000.
The Players’ Club is similar to other loyalty clubs in the world today, encompassing grocery stores, airlines, credit cards, hotels, etc., Smithson said.
“Due to our customer loyalty program — Totem Rewards — we have been able to offer benefits such as cash back, gift cards, food, gas, retail and golf.”
Providing live entertainment, including everything from musical performances and comedy shows to cage fighting and holiday celebrations, is an important part of the 7 Cedars experience, Allen said.
“We want people to have a wonderful experience at the casino, whether they come to play the slot machines or tables, dine at our wonderful restaurants or attend a show,” Allen said.
“The staff really takes pride in providing a great experience for everyone who walks though the door.”
Smithson said working at the casino has been a rewarding experience because casino employees love their customers and work together as a team.
Paula Lyckman, the casino’s retail and customer service manager, agrees.
“Being blessed enough to have started with the casino from day one, I have had the opportunity to be a part of the many and wonderful changes since then,” Lyckman said.
“Our management team is unique in the gaming industry.
“Our respect for one another and undying dedication to the whole is
remarkable. Under strong leadership, we have been resilient through hard times, emerging ever more determined to stay the course and continue to thrive.
“When you witness that kind of leadership and determination first hand, you can’t help but want to be part of the success.”
Lyckman started her career at the casino as the gift shop manager and
enjoyed getting her feet wet in the retail business. Soon, she became the manager of the art gallery and cigar shop.
“The newest and most rewarding era of my career has been our new customer service program,” she said.
Allen said tribal leaders are proud of the employment opportunities the casino has provided tribal members and others.
Currently, the casino employs about 450 people. Allen said 32 of those
employees have been with the casino since its opening day.
“The mission of the casino is always evolving, but one thing remains constant — we want to provide good-paying employment opportunities for tribal members and we want to be a good community partner,” he said.
“We are extremely proud that we have been able to create tribal scholarships for our youth, create programs for our elders and make monetary and in-kind donations to the surrounding communities.”
“There’s a stigma attached to the gaming industry that makes people suspicious about how a casino operates. We can hold our heads up high because we care about our neighbors and give back to the community whenever possible.”
Allen said building the fire station in Blyn for Clallam County Fire District No. 3 is something tribal leaders are extremely proud of.
The face of Blyn has changed since the casino was built. In addition to the new fire hall, the town now has the Jamestown S’Klallam Longhouse Market & Deli, which features a gas station; a new tribal center; a medical facility and a variety of informative and decorative tourist overlooks.
Allen said future plans for the casino include renovating the bingo hall, updating bathrooms and pushing forward with plans for an upscale, 150-room resort.
“The economy is not quite right for moving forward with the resort right now, but we continue to do research and move forward with plans,” he said.
When asked about the best compliment the casino has received throughout the years Allen was quick to answer.
“A number of years ago, I received a call from a woman from South Dakota who had traveled around the country visiting tribal casinos,” he said.
“She left a message on my voice mail, which I keep and replay every so often, that said she had a wonderful experience at 7 Cedars thanks to the warmth and personal attention of our friendly staff. That is about the best compliment we can receive. It shows that we are staying true to our vision.”
The public seems to agree with that South Dakota visitor, because as other
casinos across Western Washington have experienced revenue decreases of
30 percent, 7 Cedars had a 6 percent bump in overall revenues in 2009.
For more details about 7 Cedars Casino, click on www.7cedarsresort.com.
