Indian Gaming

Tribes in Washington and Idaho are building first-class casino resorts that offer more than gambling:

Tribal casinos are trying to appeal to a new kind of customer – one who may not even gamble at all. Across the Northwest, one-time no-frills casinos are expanding into resort-style destinations and adding high-end amenities – spas, fine dining, luxury hotels.

Let's face it: there's not much ambiance in a room with a thousand slot machines. Or maybe it's really that there's too much ambiance. This is the gaming floor at Northern Quest Resort & Casino in eastern Washington. But leave the flashing lights and dinging machines behind … and you find a very different side of the casino.

Smith: “Well, welcome to La Rive Spa.”

Yvonne Smith manages the spa. Here you'll find nine different styles of massage to choose from, a locally-sourced, seasonal spa menu, and French moisturizers that cost as much as an iPod.

Get the Story:
Tribal Casinos Move Into New Territory: High-End Luxury (Northwest Public Radio 9/20)