Money wasn’t on Curt Holmes’ mind when he sought to build the Kalispel Tribe’s second casino in 2019.
A mouse in comparison to the money-making mammoth of Northern Quest in Airway Heights, the casino in Cusick, Washington, was intended to entertain residents on the nearby reservation and bring much-needed employment for the rural area in Pend Oreille County.
Holmes, vice chairman of the tribal council and director of casinos and government affairs, said the tribe would be satisfied if the $10 million project that includes the casino, RV park and gas station broke even.
Seven years later, the venture not only provides entertainment as well as jobs to 60 the area, it’s also profitable.
