TRIBAL ENTERPRISES
How the Squaxin Island Tribe Became an Economic Powerhouse in the Region
by Heidi Smith
When the Squaxin Island Tribe was initially considering building a hotel, several tribal members had the same question during public hearings. Could the Tribe afford to do it? Executive Director Ray Peters’ answer was simple. “I said, ‘We can’t afford not to,’” he recalls.
Flash forward to 2022 and the Squaxin Island Tribe is the largest employer in Mason County. Aside from the Little Creek Casino Resort, they operate Clam Fresh and Salish Seafoods, Skookum Creek Tobacco, Native Sun Grown and Elevations, plus two trading posts and a business center. It all started with what Peters calls the ‘monumental decision’ to add the resort. He credits the Tribe’s dynamic budget process with allowing everyone in the community to understand how the resort would work within the strategic plan. “Our budget process allowed us to communicate in a way that 10 I
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showed the added revenues that would result and how we could differentiate ourselves,” he says. “Things have grown from there.” Each new business is connected to the overall goal of creating a diverse tax base that supports tribal infrastructure. “The tax base is very important for the health, safety and welfare of the people,” says Peters. “The revenues that come from that diversification fund important services like law enforcement, community development, planning, and court systems. Those funds stay in Mason County.”
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The Tribe has made several innovative moves to reach that goal. Skookum Creek Tobacco not only sells the product, it produces it at an 80,000 square foot manufacturing facility. “We manufacture cigarettes on our property, and that allows us to keep the tax revenue,” says General Manager Mike Araiza. “Manufacturing machinery comes out of either Italy or England, so we’re very fortunate to have some talented individuals who have worked in aerospace engineering and diesel hydraulics mechanics that can reverse engineer parts.” thurstonchamber.com
