County, tribe unite in plans to develop Grand Mound

By Keri Brenner | The Olympian • Published May 15, 2008

The Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation wants to work with Thurston County officials and residents on a joint vision for Grand Mound, leaders said Wednesday.

All of the entities are talking about how to develop the area around the new $100 million Great Wolf Lodge, which is owned by the Chehalis tribe.

"We're asking questions about everything

looking at the good, the bad and the ugly

to make sure ... the choices that are made are right for the community," Jeff Warnke, the tribe's government relations director, said at a meeting with county commissioners at the lodge, which has 400 rooms.

The meeting comes as the tribe moves forward with a 10-year development plan for six properties south of the 43 acre lodge, as well as for the area surrounding it.

In July, the tribe also will complete a $14 million expansion to double the size of its Lucky Eagle Casino to 40,000 square feet. It's about 8 miles from Grand Mound, near Rochester.

"The tribe can't do it alone, and the county can't do it alone," said David Burnett, Chehalis tribal chairman. "Maybe something great can come if we do it together."

Environmental consultants hired by the tribe are expected to meet at month's end with county staff members and others to talk about the 10-year plan.

The county owns and operates the Grand Mound water and sewer utility and has agreements with the tribe for service in the area.

County commissioners will vote Monday on whether to create a rezoning plan for Grand Mound as an amendment to the county's comprehensive plan, said Scott Clark, the county's newly appointed advance planning director.

Don Krupp, the county's chief administrative officer, said he envisions Grand Mound developing as the southern gateway for the county. Krupp said the county has its northern gateway with the $43 million Cabela's outdoors store, whose operators expect it to draw 4 million people during its first year.

Burnett and Warnke, of the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, said they will wait for the 10-year planning process to evolve before commenting on specific types of developments.

Kathy Frazier, who visited Great Wolf Lodge on Wednesday, said she would suggest that the tribe or private landowners in Grand Mound invest in family oriented activities to complement the resort. Those could include a movie theater, bowling alleys, golf courses or additional restaurants.

"I'm thinking about the kind of things my family and I would like to do when we come to a resort," said Frazier, a Shoalwater Bay tribal member from Tokeland who was a business vendor at a conference of the Affiliated Tribes of the Northwest Indians.

Keri Brenner covers Thurston County for The Olympian. She can be reached at 360-754-5435.

or kbrenner@theolympian.com.