To the visitors and locals looking to “get away,” Clearwater Casino Resort is a place where they can escape from the world for a few hours or days. To Kitsap County, it is part of the economic base — Port Madison Enterprises, which operates the casino and hotel as the business arm of the Suquamish Tribe, is the county’s third-largest private employer, behind only Harrison Medical Center and Walmart (based on 2010 numbers from the Kitsap Economic Development Alliance). But to the Suquamish Tribe, Clearwater is not only a way to be sustainable, it is also one of the avenues that help provide programs for tribe members.

“The goal is to make a profit but also to help provide for the needs of the tribe and create jobs — as well as diversify,” said Port Madison Enterprises CEO Russell Steele.

When Steele joined PME nearly a decade ago, the tribe owned a convenience store and a bingo hall, and the original casino, which it had opened in a tent structure in 1995. Today, the commercial venture is a thriving enterprise that also includes Kiana Lodge, a business park, three gas stations with convenience stores, and White Horse Golf Course, the latest addition to the mix, plus construction and property management divisions.

PME employs 780 people (with another 30 positions opened). Of those employees, 60 are members of the Suquamish Tribe and another 60 of other tribes, and the rest are nontribal members who commute from as far as Tacoma and Seattle.

This diversity has helped PME fare well in the economy, Steele said, but the enterprise is not finished growing. When it first opened, the casino provided 92 percent of the revenues for PME, which was formed by the tribe in 1987. Now, that number is around 65 percent and the goal is to be at 50.

“We are always looking for new opportunities,” said Steele, who was selected by the KEDA this past spring as the Economic Development Champion of the Year.

A Northwest Getaway

Suquamish Clearwater Casino’s permanent structure was built in 2003. The adjoining resort, which includes a standalone hotel and a spa, was added in 2006.

“One of the things that’s unique about the property is the ‘wow factor.’ A lot of people come here to get away, including people from the local community,” Steele said.

Several bonus features make the getaway enticing — including a full-service spa with luxurious services, an indoor/outdoor pool and an expansive lawn with gorgeous waterfront views and beach access. Four dining options in the casino building cover all bases: from a casual deli and a lounge, to a fine dining restaurant and a popular buffet.

“The atmosphere is luxurious but not intimidating… The beds have a reputation for being the most comfortable in the area. People buy our beds,” said Lisa Adair, Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort sales director.

In addition to the 85 rooms, which range from 390 square feet to 1,200-square feet suites, the resort offers two vacation homes and banquet space. Functions are hosted both indoors and outdoors, including weddings, conferences and business meetings for groups as small as 12 people.

Full catering, equipment including LCD projectors and other services are available for functions. Several national groups have hosted their events at the resort, along with corporate customers from all over Puget Sound and the region.

Both the casino and the golf course, which is about 20 minutes away, provide additional draw for corporate customers looking to incorporate a little R&R into the schedule. The casino is the only one in Puget Sound located on the water (and only two in the state with a waterfront location).

“The golf course purchase has increased the corporate interest. Some groups are coming to do business and playing golf the next day,” Adair said.

The 386-acre White Horse Golf Course, located in Kingston, was designed by renowned golf course architect Cynthia Dye McGarey and opened in 2007. Port Madison Enterprises purchased it more than a year ago, after the bank foreclosed on the original owner.

PME has remodeled the course to increase playability, and made other changes including making the public rounds much more affordable, according to April Leigh of PME’s public and media relations. “Playership is up already,” she said.

For the local community, one major summer attraction has been the free outdoor concerts on the lawn. Performances at the Passage, hosted every Thursday night, have a lineup this year that includes Tacoma’s Vicci Martinez, who was a finalist on The Voice television show; Northwest staple hard rock group Rail and popular Beatles tribute band British Export, among others.

“The concerts started as a way to introduce us to the community when we built the resort in 2006. The events became so popular and so well attended, we decided to continue them on a regular basis,” Leigh said. “It’s an opportunity to invite the community to our property.”

Another opportunity is offered to the business community. Clearwater is a member of all Kitsap County chambers as well as chambers in Gig Harbor, Tacoma and Seattle, and every year it hosts an all-chamber social event. Scheduled for Aug. 4 this year, the fifth All-Chamber Mixer is expected to attract as many as 300 chamber members for food and mingling — and a little entertainment if they linger after the party for the evening’s concert.

As the hotel marks its fifth anniversary this year, plans are already under way for some remodeling next year, including new carpeting in the hallways. But PME is looking beyond the small touches as well.

“Long term, I see this (the casino) getting bigger, the hotel getting bigger and the opportunities getting bigger,” Steele said. “We want to expand down the 305 corridor… We want to continue to diversify.”