The new year is about committing to resolutions and making yourself better, right?  For us, this means introducing a new and improved Mill Club. Many of you are already enjoying the great benefits and perks from this rewards program. Here are some answers to some of our frequently asked questions:

1. What is the Mill Club? The Mill Club is points reward system for our customers. Essentially, the more you play the more points you earn, the more benefits you can enjoy such as gaming, free perks (like priority parking, personal host and access to the players lounge), and discounts on shopping, entertainment, Hotel rooms, RV Park, gas and more.

2. How is the Mill Club different? Guests can earn rewards faster because now you will receive $1 for every 400 points earned. It used to be 500 points =$1.   Also, it is much clearer how a guest can earn Gold Club status because the guidelines are transparent and simple.  It used to be that Gold Club member status was based on play with other variables.   And finally, we have tiered the club into three levels versus two former levels.

3. What is the difference between Preferred, Premier and Elite members? The more points you earn, the more perks you have access too. Our membership is broken down into 3 tiers:
Preferred Members have earned 0-12,500 points;
Premier members have earned 12,501-65,000 points;
And our Elite members have 65,001 + pts (and qualify for the most benefits)

4. What are the benefits of joining the Mill Club? Mill Club Members instantly receive all the following benefits:

• 1 point for every $1 spent at any dining venue, Hotel, RV Park or KoKwel Gifts
• RV Park Discount
• Discount at KoKwel Gifts
• Play slots while using your Mill Club card on your birthday and you’ll receive double points
• Discounts on Concert Tickets
• Mill Certified Adventures Discount
• Coupons and Special offers exclusive to Club members
• invitations to exclusive special events
• Free Slot Play based on points!
• 3 cents/gallon off at participating Shell stations
• Banquets – room rental discounts

See our The Mill Club loyalty chart for a complete list of benefits.

5. How do you sign up and is there a charge? Signing up is free.  You can sign up online then activate your membership by visiting the Mill Club booth on the gaming floor and presenting your picture ID.

Spiritual Teacher, Psychic and Parapsychology Lecturer Sylvia Browne is bringing her 50th Anniversary Tour to The Mill Casino February 16, 2012 – February 17, 2012

Sylvia Browne is a world renowned spiritual teacher, psychic, author, lecturer and researcher in the field of parapsychology. She lectures, teaches, and counsels people from all over the world including Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Throughout her 50 year professional career, Sylvia Browne has proven herself to be the undisputed #1 icon in the psychic world.

Along with her best-selling books, 27 of which have landed on the New York Times Bestseller List, Sylvia’s one-woman show and lecture has sold out venues around the world while captivating audiences of all ages, genres and genders. Through numerous television appearances she has helped tens of thousands of people gain control of their lives, live more happily and better understand the meaning of life.

Don’t miss the chance to her live at The Mill Casino. Tickets are available for Thursday February 16 and the Friday February 17 7:30 pm in the Salmon Room

Tickets are on sale now at Kokwel Gifts: $35 general/$30 Club members

When you enter the new iGaming Lounge in The Mill Casino, you step into the future of personalized casino gaming. We recently became the first and only casino in Oregon to offer casino gaming on iPad® mobile devices.

The iGaming Lounge was designed by the team at Acres 4.0 and allows guests to select from a variety of casino games that are available on the iPad® and connected to the casino through a highly secure wireless network. The wireless network allows players to take their personal gaming devices anywhere in the lounge to play with a group of friends or to simply to find a quiet spot to themselves.

Players entering the lounge are greeted by an iGaming host who will provide them with a personal gaming device as well as help them get started playing the games. Special room lighting is in place to enhance the visual impact of the games. Customized seating in the lounge is designed for guest comfort and ease of play. Food and beverage service also is available in the lounge.

The iGaming Lounge can be a great location for a party or celebration,says General Manager Larry Close.We really view this room as a whole new way for guests to enjoy the entertainment value of casino gaming. Whether they are with a group, a partner or on their own, we want to help guests at The Mill to create their own casino experience.

The Mill Casino hosted its “All Employee Quarterly Meeting” this week in the Salmon Room East/West.   In the spirit of casino fun- we introduced ” Employee Pick ’til You Win” at the meeting and some of our staff members walked away big winners!

In addition to fun and games, the management took time to pay well deserved recognition to some of our star staff members by awarding the 2010 End of Year Employee Awards.  Congratulations to the following awards recipients  for their outstanding contributions!

Employee of the Year: John Fink, Payroll
Manager of the Year: Vickie Standridge, Events Manager
Klass Act (superlative guest service): Tom Bohanan, Housekeeping

Our five winners/contestants came from diverse departments: surveillance, hotel, purchasing, payroll and valet.

It was John Fink's day. Not only was he presented with Employee of the Year (with a cash prize), but he also was selected as the finalist in our inaugural Employee Pick 'til You Win, walking away with another $1,000.

The Mill Casino General Manager Larry Close Presents Employee of the Year to John Fink, Payroll

Winner of the Klass Act Award (superlative guest service) Went to Tom Bohanan, Housekeeping

Manager of the Year, Vickie Standridge, Events Manager

If you are celebrating the Christmas and New Years holidays at The Mill Casino this year (or just want to eat out on Christmas Day), you are in luck!  Everyone knows The Saw Blade Buffet serves one of the best holiday meals on the Oregon Coast! The Mill Casino culinary staff, led by The Mill Casino Executive Chef Dan Catanio, have been hard at work to create a traditional holiday feast to satisfy any appetite. You won’t go hungry!

The Sawblade Christmas Day Buffet is an annual Christmas tradition at The Mill Casino, and is served from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM. This year we will be featuring an Assorted Salad Bar and a Carving Station with Baked Sugar glazed Ham; Slow Roasted House Smoked; Prime rib of Beef; Cedar Plank, Baked Salmon glazed with sweet Chili glaze

Our Hot Entrée Selections will include Country Style Fried Chicken; Beer Battered Alaskan Cod; Chef’s Choice of Fresh Seafood Catch of the day; Chicken Rotisserie with Cranberry Glaze; Assorted sautéed Vegetables; Pasta with two sauces and Kid’s Mac & Cheese. But it doesn’t stop there. We are also preparing all of the traditional holiday fixing’s like Mashed potatoes & Gravy;
Glazed Candied Yams, our Famous Giblet dressing Assorted Biscuits & Muffins.

Finish off your meal with some Assorted Freshly Baked Holiday Treats! The meal is $21.95 for adults and children under 11 years old 1/2 price (Under 4 years old are free).

The Mill Casino Chefs are Hard at Work to Prepare your Holiday Feast!

We also hope you will ring in 2011 with our New Years Day Champagne Brunch. Brunch is served from 9:00 to 1:00 pm and will include a delicious Build Your Omelet’s Chef Station; Carved Smoked New York Strip; Carved Brown Sugar Cured Ham; Buttermilk Biscuits & Country Gravy; Breakfast potatoes & Eggs Fantastic; Country Scrambled Eggs; Hickory Smoked Bacon & Sausage Links; Keilbasa Sausage; Cheese Blintzes with a Bing Cherry Sauce; Honey Dipped Fried Chicken; Fruit Cobbler & Bread Pudding; and Stuffed French toast & Belgian Waffles.

If that is not enough you can also choose assorted breakfast breads and fresh pastries from our bakery; Assorted Homemade Salads & Freshly Cut fruit; Fresh Vegetable Crudités & Smoked Salmon Tray and Cheese and Crackers

Adults are $19.95.  You will think you have found culinary heaven! Happy Holidays! We hope you enjoy!

We were sad to say good bye to new friends over the weekend as we wrapped up the 2010 Cranberry Harvest RV Jamboree.  The event kicked off October 6 and included Canoe Rides, Entertainment, Pet Paparazzi photos, a traditional Salmon Bake dinner and so much more.

Thanks everyone for such a great weekend and fond memories!  Can’t wait to see you in June 2011 for our next RV Jamboree (date to be announced)!  Here are some fun photos from some of the highlights from this year’s event:

Congrats to Rebel; "Most Adorable" in the "Pooch Paparazzi"- one of our favorite events!

Razcal (pictured here with his person) won "Best Dressed" in the competition

Lucinda, Amy and four adventurous RV guests listen to instructions from the KoKwel Canoe crew.

The Coquille Tribe’s display of a traditional dugout river canoe, and a few various paddle designs.

Conditions on Coos Bay were absolutely perfect for canoe excursions on Friday afternoon, with tranquil water and a warm gentle breeze. Even the fish were jumping, as if to say “the water is fine, come on in.”

RV Jamboree guests also went on an excursion to the southern end of Coos Bay, where they got to see the annual cranberry harvest at Coquille Cranberries, plus an excellent presentation by the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology.

Travel Oregon invites culinary explorers to dig, gather and forage on an Oregon epicurean excursion across the state with ten of the state’s top chefs as guides.
One lucky “epi-tourian” will win an exclusive four-day, three-night Oregon Bounty Wanderfeast.

The winner will indulge in a five-course chef’s table dinner at Le Pigeon Restaurant in Portland plus two of these options for their own Oregon Wanderfeast: head out on a pier and catch Dungeness crab, be an artisan cheese maker for a day, discover the wineries of the Columbia Gorge, create spring ales with a craft brewer, learn the art of mixology with artisan spirits or stalk a steelhead on a wild and scenic river.

For a complete list of celebration information, contest rules and to enter, visit www.Traveloregon.com/Bounty.

Stay tuned for details on our own local culinary adventure happening this fall: Chowder Bounty.

The entries are in!

Thank you to everyone who submitted their photo taken at The Mill Casino Hotel & RV Park to our photo contest.  All photos can be viewed on our Facebook page (look at the Contest Tab) and the winner will be chosen by popular vote.

The voting period will take place from now until August 15.  We will announce the winner on our blog and will share on the Facebook page.  Make sure your favorite photo wins!

You are allowed to submit one vote per day until August 15!  Vote now!

It is a delight to announce that three of our events/promotions were recognized by marketing experts in the gaming industry!  The Mill Casino • Hotel & RV Park won the Diamond  Romero Award in the Public Relations category for the 2009 Mill-Luck Salmon Celebration. Diamond is the highest award in a category.

The Mill also received a Gold Romero Award in the Website Marketing category for our Website redesign and social media campaign and a honorable mention for our New Year’s Eve Disco Celebration.

We received the awards at the annual Casino Marketing Conference in Las Vegas. This conference is the largest casino marketing conference of its kind. Raving Consulting Group, consultants to over 200 casinos, and BNP Media Gaming Group, the world’s largest gaming media resource, manage the award program which received nearly 150 entries.

It is particularly gratifying to receive the award for the Salmon Celebration. It reflects a great deal of hard work by so many people, and it is wonderful to see those efforts recognized at such a high level.

A special thanks to our followers (YOU) and everyone on our staff who has worked on making The Mill Casino a leader in fun, friendly entertainment!  We could not have done it without you!

About the Romero Awards:
The Romero Awards, named after casino marketing pioneer and author John Romero, honor those gaming operators who best fulfill the spirit of John’s more than 45-year crusade for effective, measurable and accountable casino marketing expenditures.

The 2010 Awards were presented at Casino Marketing Conference on July 21, in a special ceremony once again hosted by Al Bernstein, Sportscaster and Boxing Analyst, Radio Host, Speaker and Performer.

We were thrilled to have hosted another successful Winner’s Party this week!   Our grand prize winner took home $10,000!!!  Maybe you can come to our next event and take home the grand prize next time?  Check back for details on more big events to come…