BONNERS FERRY - Want to know what can be accomplished by a successful business over the course of 25 very busy years? Just read the name of one of Boundary County's largest employers out loud to find the answer: Best Western Kootenai River Inn Casino & Spa.

The name itself charts the course of a hospitality and gaming operation that, since 1986, has looked out over one of the most scenic views North Idaho has to offer. From that majestic perch over the Kootenai River, the business has maintained steady growth in both jobs and profitability.

"That's one of the good things about working up here - you're continually seeing growth," said general manager Tom Turpin. "We started out as a quaint hotel and restaurant with a magnificent view and about 50 employees. Now we're one of the largest private-business employers in the area, with 170 employees."

The business, owned by the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Over that time, it has undergone several renovations and expansions.

"It really has been the vision of the tribe that set all of this forward," Turpin said.

The biggest change came in the mid-1990s, when the door opened for adding casino operations to the existing hotel and restaurant.

"There was no master plan that gaming would be here at some time," the general manager explained. "It wasn't until 1993, when the state jumped into gaming through the lottery, that the tribe had this opportunity."

By 1996, the first casino room had opened, offering 200 machines for play. Today, Best Western Kootenai River Inn Casino & Spa operates three gaming rooms with more than 500 gaming choices to choose from.

The Kootenai Falls Room is the largest of the three, featuring 240 video gaming machines that include popular favorites such as "Digital 21," "Powerball," and "Big Event." The Riverside Room offers 78 games in a non-smoking environment, while the Fireside Room has 185 games, including "Monopoly," "The Price is Right" and "Wildfire," among many others.

Elsewhere in the casino, the Ktunaxa Room is a multi-purpose space available for everything from meetings and weddings, with bingo played on the first and third Wednesday of every month.

"The reason gaming has thrived here is because we have such a tremendous amount of Canadian business," said Turpin, who noted that having a location virtually at the crossroads of U.S. Highway 95 and U.S. Highway 2 means that local customers, too, represent a core element in the business model, with guests being drawn from north of the border, as well as from Montana to the east and neighboring Bonner County to the south.

"The fact that we're only about a 30-minute drive away also makes Sandpoint a great market for us," said the general manager. "The same can be said for the Troy and Libby area."

At first glance, one would think that expansion opportunities would have been limited due to the fact that these tribal lands are bordered by the river on one side and the highway on the other. Still, the tribe's direction has resulted in the ongoing development of a thriving local business that now offers 65 guest rooms, a restaurant and casino overlooking the water and a luxury spa - an amenity Turpin calls "a hidden jewel."

Open seven days a week, the fully staffed Kootenai Day Spa offers a tempting menu of spa treatments and "pamper packages" that include hydrotherapy, aromatherapy, massage, facials, footwork, bodywork, hair and salon, nail work and more in a relaxed, riverside setting.

Along with its 25th anniversary celebration, Best Western Kootenai River Inn Casino & Spa is marking its 16th year in the gaming world with what could prove to be an extremely lucky bit of play.

"We'll be doing a $100,000 Spin where somebody gets to spin for a chance to win that amount," Turpin said.

Although the excitement of gaming tends to get the most notice, guests give consistently high marks to the Springs Restaurant, known for some of the best steaks and seafood in the region and serving breakfast, lunch and dinner with spectacular riverside views during any season of the year.

A stroll around the well-appointed property also reveals a new indoor pool and a complete recreation center waiting to be enjoyed by guests.

For its entire history, the Kootenai River Inn Casino & Spa has proudly operated under the Best Western name, earning the sought-after "Best Western Plus" designation and, most recently, the company's "Chairwoman's Award" for quality assurance criteria that include cleanliness, customer service and customer amenities. Using those same benchmarks, the Best Western chain placed Kootenai River Inn Casino & Spa in the top 10 percent of its hotels.

"For example, we have 42-inch, flat-screen TVs in all of our rooms," Turpin said. "Not many people can offer something like that to their customers."

Along with providing employment to more than 170 people, the business has become a financial boon for the 140 members of the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, enabling the tribe to fund education and community projects in the region.

"They've taken those proceeds and used them to give kids a higher education and improve the quality of life for the tribe," said Turpin. "They've also expanded this facility and kept it in tip-top shape.

"We pride ourselves in providing the best customer service possible - the tribe has set that standard for the past 25 years," he added. "And ultimately, all of this is about the vision of the tribe."

For more information about the Best Western Kootenai River Inn Casino & Spa - including complete restaurant and spa treatment menus, room rates and amenities, details of games available and links to the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho - visit: www.kootenairiverinn.com