Fordham is new S & K operating officer

By Maggie Plummer

Peter Fordham

Peter Fordham is the new Principal Operating Officer for S & K Gaming, L.L.C. - the company that oversees all of the Tribes' gaming and hospitality ventures.

A native of Leeds, England, he brings a total of 28 years of experience in casinos and resorts to his new position here.

For the past 15 years, the 47-year-old manager has worked with various tribes around the U.S., from Minnesota to California.

His "claim to fame," he said, is the massive Grand Casino Coushatta in Kinder, Louisiana, where he was General Manager. That meant overseeing more than 3,200 slot machines, 85 table games, 223 guest rooms, and seven restaurants.

Before that, he lived and worked in the Bahamas for quite a few years.

Most recently, Fordham was the head of the team that opened the Chukchansi Gold casino in Coarsegold, California (in the Sierra foothills just north of Fresno) for the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians.

He began work here on April 16.

Fordham wants to help "reinvent" the hotel and resort at KwaTaqNuk, to make it more of what he calls a "casino resort." That means, among other things, adding 15 to 20 games in Jocko's Lounge for the upcoming summer season and hopefully permanently, he said.

He hopes to help re-establish the resort's reputation in the community and set a new standard for excellence: "We are going to strive for consistency and continuity, and strengthen the business in the shoulder and off-peak seasons."

As for Gray Wolf Peak Casino, a grand opening has been set for Friday, June 22, featuring big cash prizes and more than 100 slot machines, according to him.

By the end of May, people will be seeing "lots of neon signs" at Gray Wolf Peak, he added. Also, the parking lot is being re-surfaced, a canopy is being built over the main casino entrance, and they're working on improving the air quality at both locations.

Fordham hopes to help make a difference. "I'm happy to be in northwestern Montana," he commented. "This is a long-term commitment."