GIR Episode 17
About our guests:
- Laura Penney, CEO, of the Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel in Worley, ID. Laura is a member of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe and an avid golfer. The resort’s Circling Raven Golf Club has been rated one of the top 100 resort courses in the US since it opened, and is ranked among the top casino courses, too.
- Tony Mancilla is GM of the Island Resort and Casino in Harris, Michigan (Upper Peninsula). He is a member of the Harrisville Indian Community, a band of the Potawatomi, and he was instrumental in the tribe’s/resort’s two courses being built. They’re named Sweetgrass and Sage Run.
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Some interesting facts about Native American golf:
- There are approximately 55 Native American-owned golf courses in the U.S.
- Many of them are highly rated and collectively Native American Golf is some of the finest in the country. The reason: many times the courses are amenities of casinos, and while they strive to be profitable, they can be loss leaders as they also serve as a casino amenity that many high rollers appreciate. The courses draw high rollers.
- Many Native American core essential philosophies permeate tribally-owned courses. For instance, more land is dedicated to the courses than many non-Native American courses. This allows the tribes to pay homage to their ancestors and the Creator.
- Take the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, for example, and their Circling Raven Golf Club. They pay respect in many ways, including Naming the course after a seminal Tribal Chief (Circling Raven) who guided the Tribe though some of its most difficult times.
- Naming the restaurant at the golf clubhouse after an important former tribal leader (Twisted Earth)
- Giving golf course architect Gene Bates ample acreage to work with so that the course could mesh with the incredible topography instead of having to contrive a design that moved tons of earth to create something that didn’t fit naturally. At 620 acres, Circling Raven uses roughly four times more acreage than the average 18-hole course in the U.S.
- Tony Mancilla and the Hannahville Indian Community acted similarly when developing its golf courses (Sweetgrass and Sage Run). The names of the courses are two of the four sacred herbs that has been part of the Tribe’s culture forever. And the Sweetgrass course has its 18 holes named after things that pay homage to tribal tradition and tradition (7 Grandfathers, Turtle, etc.)
Proof that these Native American golf courses are exceptional can be found in the fact both properties host Symetra “Road to the LPGA” Tour events. Sweetgrass has done so for many years. This year will be Circling Raven’s first, hosting the Circling Raven Championship in August-21.
Finally, many traveling golfers love the fact that Native American owned courses and resorts integrate their culture and décor throughout their properties and amenities – from rooms, suites, and spas, to golf courses, restaurants, and casinos.
Take for example how Coeur d’Alene Tribe has integrated Native American cultural activities and amenities that allow guests and visitors to enjoy authentic experiences like cultural food dishes, Battlefield Tour, basket weaving, beadwork, viewing incredible artwork, and themed merchandise.
About Circling Raven Golf Club and Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel
Owned and operated by the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Circling Raven is in the scenic Idaho panhandle approximately 55 minutes from Spokane International Airport (GEG). Measuring 7,189 yards from the rear tees, the 18-hole layout sprawls magnificently through 620 acres of woodlands, wetlands, and Palouse grasses. Its gleaming white sand bunkers are large and strategically placed and its hole variety ingenious. The course will host the Circling Raven Championship – for three years beginning in August 2021 – a Symetra “Road to the LPGA” Tour event.
Other Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel amenities and activities include the full-service Spa Ssakwa’q’n (pronounced Sock-wock-en); 300 hotel rooms; bars, restaurants, lounges, and eateries; cultural immersion options; and more. The casino completed a $15 million renovation of its gaming floor and Events Center in 2019. Circling Raven has garnered numerous best-in-kind honors since opening, including being rated a Top 100 Resort Course, Best in State, and a Top U.S. Casino Course. Its golf shop has won national and regional awards for its excellence and its variety of products, displays, and performance.
For more information about the casino resort or golf club, call 1-800-523-2464, or visit www.cdacasino.com.
About Island Resort & Casino
Located in Michigan’s scenic Upper Peninsula 13 miles west of Escanaba, Island Resort & Casino is one of the Midwest’s largest golf, casino and entertainment resort destinations spanning over 408,000 square feet. The resort features 36-holes of golf along with over 300 guest rooms including elegant suites and a 42 –site RV Park. The casino offers an all-new sportsbook, as well as a poker room, craps, blackjack, Spanish 21, three card poker, let-it-ride, roulette and bingo.
The resort amenities also include the luxurious Drift Spa offering a variety of high-end spa services with access to the resort’s saltwater pool, steam rooms and sauna. Multiple dining options include the signature 5 Bridges Steak and Seafood House, 5 Bridges Pub, Firekeepers Restaurant, T. McC’s Sports Bar, Coral Reef Grille, Signature Subs & Pizza and The Coffee & Custard Shop featuring items from The Bakery. The Island regularly hosts headline entertainment in the intimate 1315 seat Showroom as well as weekly bands and comedy entertainers in Club 41. The Island Convention Center provides the perfect venue for special events, business meetings and weddings. The destination is easily accessible via a pair of regional airports in Escanaba and Marquette connecting through Detroit, Saginaw, Lansing or Grand Rapids.
For more information, visit www.islandresortgolf.com.
