Glen Nenema, Chairman
Kalispel Tribe of Indians
Northern Quest Resort & Casino – Airway Heights, WA
Kalispel Casino – Cusick, WA
northernquest.com / kalispelcasino.com / kalispeltribe.com
BENEFITS OF GAMING: Since 2000, when the Kalispel Tribe opened Northern Quest Resort and Casino in Airway Heights, gaming revenue has been a primary resource for our tribe to develop our Camas Path programs, which provide critical social, health, and education opportunities. These programs have significantly improved the lives of our tribal members.
In addition, we’ve been able to invest in our culture and language programs. Our Salish language was on the verge of extinction, with only a few elders fluent. Today, we have language classes in our early learning center for school-age children and for adults, helping to revitalize this important aspect of our heritage.
Our reservation, located along the Pend Oreille River in rural Northeast Washington, is situated in a floodplain, making infrastructure development historically difficult. Gaming revenue has provided the resources needed to overcome these challenges. We’ve been able to bring clean water and electricity to all reservation homes; build roads, healthcare facilities, and a public safety department; and improve our powwow grounds.
Gaming revenue has allowed us to become a strong regional partner and economic driver. Unlike other businesses, the Kalispel Tribe is rooted here – we aren’t going anywhere. We employ more than 2,000 people and contribute millions to local economies.
Through our charitable giving program, we have donated over $24 million to support critical needs throughout our region, including healthcare, social services, environmental conservation, arts, and culture. We strive to follow in our ancestors’ footsteps by being good neighbors and stewards of the land.
GOALS & INITIATIVES: Historically, our tribe’s connection to the Pend Oreille River, or “ntxwe,” has been central to our culture. Our people established villages and summer root “digging camps along its banks, and we are still known as “The People of the Pend Oreille.” Many of our initiatives and goals focus on reconnecting with the river and restoring our relationship with the surrounding lands. This includes promoting conservation, habitat restoration, and working toward environmental and economic justice for future generations.
LEGISLATIVE: Our primary focus in the policy arena is protecting tribal sovereignty and promoting sustainability and self-sufficiency for our people. We are particularly focused on achieving parity, such as through the enactment of the Tribal Law Enforcement Parity Act. Additionally, we are using every available tool to restore the natural habitats surrounding our lands, which is vital for the health and wellness of our community.
