Kah-Nee-Ta to Close

Kah-Nee-Ta Resort employees were notified today (Friday, July 6, 2018) that the resort would close in 60 days.  Since 1964 Kah-Nee-Ta Village (followed by the Kah-Nee-Ta Lodge in 1974) have provided visitors with sunshine, swimming and recreation opportunities on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation of Oregon.

The Tribal Enterprise was popular but lacked profitability for many years with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs contributing funding to balance the budget.  In 1995 the Warm Springs Gaming Enterprise was created and located Casino Operations at Kah-Nee-Ta.  The new revenue stream led to the unification of the Kah-Nee-Ta and Gaming Enterprises in 2001.

Gaming Operations moved from Kah-Nee-Ta to a new facility along Highway 26 in Warm Springs in 2012.  The move led to profitability struggles again for Kah-Nee-Ta Resort.  In 2016 Tribal Council of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs separated the joint enterprise operation, leaving Kah-Nee-Ta Resort without financial support from Warm Springs Gaming operations.

A new board was appointed in the fall of 2016 to focus on the future of Kah-Nee-Ta.  In 2017 a group of businessmen formed a company to pursue a lease to operate the property and make improvements to the resort for a 25 year period.  The agreement would have included significant improvements to the resort.  Due to insurmountable challenges, requirements for the company to take possession of Kah-Nee-Ta could not be met.

The closure notification letter to Kah-Nee-Ta Employees states “Kah-Nee-Ta Resort & Spa will close all outlets on September 5, 2018.”  “…with no lease in place, the resort cannot continue operation below a self-sustaining level.”

The proposed closure plan is being developed with the intension of limiting additional financial risks to the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.