Years ago, I was running marketing for the Mill Casino Hotel and RV Park. I think it was the first year we ever had a summer youth program at the casino, and in walks this 14-year-old girl, full of energy, and I was excited to meet her. We started chatting, and I said, “So tell me like, what do you think about being here and what would you like to aspire to in this experience? And at 14, she said, “I want to be the Chief Financial Officer of the organization.” I thought, what 14-year-old has any idea what that is, and I also thought, “Good choice!” For me, that was the beginning of Margaret Simpson’s journey, and our relationship. Twenty-five years later, it is incredible to see her now as the CEO of the organization.
In this candid interview, Margaret shares her early journey and how working for both the Tribal government and the Tribe’s business enterprises has given her a “really unique lens to where I understand what impact casino revenue has to the tribe.”
Please view the entire interview here
History of the Mill Casino
The Mill Casino Hotel and RV Park is owned by The Coquille Indian Tribe, whose ancestors flourished in Oregon’s southwestern corner for thousands of years. The Tribe was restored to federal recognition on June 28, 1989. Shortly after they received federal recognition, they purchased the property you are currently on. This property was once a Weyerhaeuser Company plywood mill. The Tribe purchased the property in the early 90’s, thus the name, The Mill Casino. If you go onto the gaming floor and look up, you will see the original beams of the plywood mill.
Coos Bay-North Bend was once known as the timber capital of the world. All this changed in the early 1980’s due to the recession and high-interest rates killing the housing market. Our region once had over six fully operational sawmills and a paper mill. The Tribe’s decision to purchase this property and convert it into a casino resulted in one of the most significant reconstruction projects the Coos Bay Area had ever seen.
On May 19, 1995, the casino opened its doors to the public. The casino and hotel have experienced many upgrades through remodels and new developments over the past 28 years.
The Mill Casino has been the engine for self-sufficiency, and a guiding principle for the Coquille Indian Tribe. Today, the Coquille Indian Tribe is the 2nd largest employer in the region, and The Mill Casino Hotel & RV Park records over a million guests annually.
If you would like to learn more about the history of the Coquille Indian Tribe, please take the time to visit www.coquilletribe.org or for The Mill Casino Hotel & RV Park visit www.themillcasino.com.
