Kalispel Park brings new casino to Cusick

CUSICK, Wash. — The Kalispel Tribe is hoping to bring an economic boom to the Pend Oreille Valley through a new project known as the Kalispel Park, which includes a brand new casino.

The $10.5 million project is expected to be complete later this fall. It will bring at least 75 full time and part time jobs to Cusick.

The main attraction will be the Kalispel Casino. It will include slot machines, a family-friendly restaurant and a bar. And in a press conference Wednesday, it was revealed that this casino is making history.

“I’m honored to be the first woman tribal member holding the position of casino operations manager,” said Alia Russel, the Kalispel Casino operations manager.

The Kalispel Park will also include a new fresh market, an RV resort and storage rentals. Tribe members say this is something they’ve been waiting for for decades.

“We’ve always thought it would be nice if we could do this, it would be nice if we could build this, and to see it actually happening, it’s amazing,” said Sylvia Meshell, a tribal elder in the Kalispel Tribe.

They hope this will be a new gathering place for members of the community.

“It’s going to bring us all together. Pend Oreille County, Cusick, us, community,” Meshell said. “We’ve strived throughout the years to come together and this is going to bring us all together.”

And community members say they are excited to see the economic boom coming to Cusick.

“Anytime you can build a community from the ground up with people that live there, that comes from their heart, it makes them proud,” said Phyllis Kardos with Responsible Growth Northeast Washington.

The tribe expects the project to be completed by late fall.

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