BUSINESS
COVER:
Aboriginal
Gangs in Prairie Provinces in "Crisis Proportions"
BIOGRAPHY
Chad
Denny Makes Quebec Major Juniors
BUSINESS
Casino
Of The Rockies: The Casino Where Everybody Wins
CULTURE
Buffy
Honours Dudley George's Life with Music Concert
Vancouver's
Museum of Anthropology Strives To Accurately Represent First Nations Culture
ENVIRONMENT
Chippewas
of Nawash Defend Lake Huron and Georgian Bay
HUMOUR
Bee
in the Bonnet: Artsy Fartsy
Bee
in the Bonnet: Halls!
POLITICS
AFN
Leader Seeks to Reorganize National Body
Casino
Of The Rockies: The Casino Where Everybody Wins
By
Bernie Bates
It's now been one year since the doors opened to the Casino of the Rockies,
located just a few minutes drive from the scenic city of Cranbrook, B.C.
And it's well on its way to becoming a resounding success, in more ways
than just the monetary part of the equation.
As you walk in the doors you meet with the usual flashy colors and sounds
associated with any casino, the clanking of coins, the dinging and pinging
of the slots interrupted only by the occasional squeal from a delighted
winner. "Same old, same old!"- you may say, that is, until you
look a little closer.
There's a good chance, at this casino, that the person attending to your
every need is a native, from serving you a drink, to paying out cash to
the fortunate winners, to overseeing the day to day operations, and there-in
is the real success of this native owned casino!
As I spoke with some of the native employees at the casino, I couldn't
help but notice something that they all had in common - pride!
"Next month, I'll have been here a year and I'm now a supervisor,"
beamed one young lady.
Another employee, almost boastfully, told me about the training courses
he took to get his job. And when I asked him if it was hard, he said,
"What I did before was hard!"
He then made a motion as if he was taking a swig from an imaginary jug,
accompanied by the other thing they all had in common- a big, heart felt
smile.
Now that's something you can't teach at a seminar.
It wasn't only the casino employees that were feeling proud. I also spoke
with some of the local Rez Bro's and they too felt a personal pride in
the accomplishment of a task some people thought to be impossible, only
a short time ago.
Even people of non-native heritage were very proud of 'their' Indians,
quoted one - "They done good!"
Apart from the over two hundred slot machines and an assortment of gaming
tables there is an attached restaurant and lounge along with a Tele-theater
horse racing area.
The casino itself is spacious with a unique decorum, depicting an old
time street, that lines the outer walls, complete right down to the fictitious
business signs. It's a wonderful little place to try your luck and at
the same time support indigenous business.
Although there were many, many people involved in the creation of the
'Casino of the Rockies,' the driving force, from concept to completion,
was Chief Sophie Pierre. Chief Pierre is the 2003 winner of the prestigious
'Aboriginal economic developer of the year award.'
Explaining the process of putting together adequate funding with the right
people and mixing in a good amount of luck, "It was a learning process,
by trial and a lot of error!"
"I'm glad I didn't know just how hard this was going to be ....
I may not have attempted it," she says.
She's now asked by other reservations across the country to speak on the
subject of business' on reservations.
Congratulations to the Casino of the Rockies on their first year in business.
We highly recommend that you visit the area and support the local First
Nations business'. "Bet you'll have a good time!"