Golf-and-Retail Merchandise Shop at the Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort & Hotel Again Garners this Best-in-Kind Distinction
(WORLEY, Idaho) – When planning to build Circling Raven Golf Club – an amenity to its casino resort in the state panhandle 45 minutes east of Spokane (WA) Airport – the Coeur d’Alene Tribe insisted that it be of the highest quality and therefore worthy of having the tribe and its much-respected name behind it.
That this mandate continues to be successfully accomplished was most recently affirmed when Tom Davidson, the golf club’s Director of Golf, was named PGA of America’s 2008 Northwest (U.S.) Section Merchandiser of the Year.
Davidson just finished his first full season at Circling Raven. This was the second time in three years the award was bestowed upon Circling Raven’s golf-and-retail shop manager – objective demonstration of the resort’s and golf club’s savvy leadership and best-practices programs.
The award is based on overall sales in the pro shop, presentation, merchandising and overall financial performance.
To qualify for the sectional award Davidson/Circling Raven won Merchandiser of the Year in the Inland Northwest chapter. The Northwest Section award means he is nominated for the national PGA Merchandiser of the Year award that will be announced in early 2009.
“Tom has shown fine leadership as both a manager and a merchandiser,” said Dave LaSarte-Meeks, Chief Executive Officer at the Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel. “Anyone who has visited the Circling Raven pro shop can see that it exceeds all expectations for the buyer, not to mention the quality of customer service.”
Davidson and Circling Raven were chosen over professionals and pro shops in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana, many of which are world-renowned for their quality and service.
“From the beginning, Circling Raven’s clubhouse has been unique,” Davidson said. “We offer great variety, well beyond items just for golf. Still, it’s always humbling to be recognized by your peers. I’m proud of what we do at Circling Raven and all the staff who contribute to it.”
The clubhouse is 6,500 square feet, including the Twisted Earth Grill and full service bar. Both men’s and women’s locker rooms include showers and lockers. The new Stensgar Events Pavilion is adjacent to the golf clubhouse and is an excellent, full-service venue for meetings and events – from wedding receptions to golf tournament dinners and festivities.
Recent honors bestowed upon Circling Raven include:
* Top 100 Courses You Can Play 2008-09 – GOLF Magazine
* No. 1 Tribal Golf Course in America – Native American Casino Magazine
* Top-40 Casino Courses in the U.S. (No. 4) – Golf Digest
* Top U.S. Resort Courses – Golfweek Magazine 2008
* America’s Top Golf Courses – Zagat Survey 2007-08 rankings
* No. 9 in the “Signature 36: Top Resort Courses in the West” – Fairways + Greens Magazine 2007
* Resort Merchandiser of the Year – Inland Empire Chapter of the PGA 04, 05, 06, 07, 08
* Service Excellence Award by the Coeur d’Alene Area Chapter of the Idaho Department of Commerce and Labor
For more information about Circling Raven Golf Club or Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort & Hotel call 1-800-523-2464 or visit www.circlingraven.com.
About Circling Raven Golf Club and Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort & Hotel
Owned and operated by the Coeur d’Alene Tribe and convenient to Spokane (WA) airport, the casino resort and golf club are nestled on a reservation covering 345,000 acres of mountains, lakes, old-growth forest and farmland. The resort spans the western edge of the northern Rocky Mountains. Tribal history tells us that Circling Raven was a spiritually powerful leader, his name coming from his relationship to the raven, who helped guide him on his journeys, warn him of danger and show him where to find fish and game.
Circling Raven was created amid a unique blend of wetlands, grasslands and woodlands. With yardages ranging from 7,189 yards to 4,708 – thanks to multiple teeing areas on each hole – the par 72 championship layout meanders through 620 acres, only 100 representing cultivated ground. Wildlife is abundant, including elk, deer, moose and an occasional black bear.
The practice facility covers 25 acres; separated into areas for wedges, sand play and all clubs in the bag. The resort adjacent to the course includes 202 hotel rooms, casino, multi-purpose events center, restaurants, indoor pool, gift shop and other amenities.
The Coeur d’Alene Casino offers 1,800 machines for play in smoking and non-smoking areas, off-track betting for horse and dog races, high-stakes bingo, entertainment and many other amenities. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week every day of the year. The resort is regularly voted the most popular casino in the Inland Northwest.
Contact:
Dan Shepherd, Buffalo Communications, 703-891-3320,
dshepherd@billycaspergolf.com
