The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs truck stop project is moving forward and is now in the design phase. The Warm Springs Casino and Resort Enterprise (WSCRE) board is working with BBT Architects on the design.
BBT Architects, based in Bend, designed the Warm Springs K-8 Eagle Academy and the Madras Performing Arts Center, among several other school buildings. (You can see other examples of their work at bbtarchitects.com)
When the architectural design is completed, the WSCRE board will hire a contractor, and work will begin soon after. The target opening date for the truck stop is March 2017, said Jeffrey Carstensen, Indian Head Casino General Manager.
The truck stop will be located on the tribes’ 10-acre trust property at the Madras Industrial Park, 398 NW Cherry Lane, just off Highway 26.
The financial feasibility study estimated that the truck stop will create between 25 to 35 new jobs, and will constitute an additional source of revenue for the tribes.
The new jobs will have tribal-member preference, following the policy at Indian Head Casino, Carstensen said.
The Twenty-Sixth Tribal Council approved the project last year, on the recommendation of the WSCRE board. The tribes’ property at the Madras Industrial Park was acquired in 1977 but has not been used for several years.
The truck stop will offer gasoline and diesel service, a restaurant, and a convenience store, among other amenities.
