Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe marks 25th anniversary of casino

Tuesday, May 9, 2017  

The Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its gaming facility in Oregon.

The tribe began with a modest bingo hall in 1992. It was the first of its kind in the state and its debut was a major undertaking at the time.

“Those of us who worked for the tribe actually put our boots on and went down and finished laying sod. We were right down to the wire for opening day,” Michael Rondeau, a citizen who now serves as the tribe's chief executive officer, told The Roseburg News-Review.

But the tribe wasn't done making waves. The late former chairwoman Sue Shaffer, who passed away last month at the age of 94, negotiated the very first Class III gaming compact in the state, paving the way for slot machines, table games and more.

The bingo hall eventually became the Seven Feathers Casino Resort, a facility that features a 300-room hotel, a spa and an recreational vehicle park. It employs about 1,000 people, The News-Review reported.

"The resort has become a destination for tourists, with about 1 million visitors each year. These tourists pour money into our county’s economy, no doubt indirectly accounting for more than a few additional paychecks taken home by county residents," the paper wrote in an editorial that praised Shaffer's leadership.

The tribe was restored to federal recognition in 1982.

Read More on the Story:
Seven Feathers Casino Resort reaches 25 years (The Roseburg News-Review 5/5)
Oregon's tribal gaming history started in Canyonville (The Roseburg News-Review 5/9)