Colby Marshall and Tygh Campbell attended the regular meeting of the Harney County Court on Feb. 1 to provide a presentation about the retreat that will open at Silvies Valley Ranch in July.

About The Retreat at Silvies Valley Ranch

Campbell said the retreat currently consists of a main lodge, guest cabins, a small conference center, three bunk houses (small hotels), and two reversible 18-hole golf courses.

Construction on a full-service spa and indoor pool is scheduled for completion in 2018. The retreat will also boast three shooting ranges. (However, skeet shooting will not be offered at the retreat, as guests will be encouraged to visit the facility in Seneca.) Nine and seven-hole courses are also being added.

Silvies Valley Ranch is also a modern-day working ranch that raises certified, organic cattle and American Range goats.

The ranch issued a press release stating that “Western adventures such as shooting, cattle roundup, goat herding, fishing, exploring, wagon rides, Indian cave tours, and Western gourmet dining” will also be provided.

However, Campbell said, “One thing we will never be, and we don’t ever want to be, is a dude ranch. We just have too much work to do.”

Recruiting guests

Marshall said he spoke with people at the PGA Merchandise Show who expressed excitement about the project and said they’d be willing to travel to frontier Oregon to play golf.

“It’s kind of like, you build it, they will come,” Campbell said.

He and Marshall pointed to the success of the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort as an example.

This summer, The Retreat at Silvies Valley Ranch will host reporters from golf magazines who will write about the retreat and surrounding communities.

Marshall said that, in the second year, the retreat will focus on recruiting destination tourists who are “looking for that unique, frontier, Western experience in Silvies Valley.”

Executive retreats will begin the third year. And Campbell said the retreat hopes to host about 3,000 tourists annually by year six.

Community 

opportunities

The retreat will offer 34 rooms, but expects to host 70 to 120 golfers per day.

“Those people are going to have to have somewhere to stay, and those places are here in the community,” Campbell said.

“Destination tourism is really where the benefits to the community start to explode,” he added. “On average, your destination tourist expects to spend anywhere from one to two weeks in a destination, and they expect to spend at least $1,000 a day. Now, we don’t have enough on our ranch for them to spend that kind of money. They need to go out into the community and start seeing everything our communities have to offer, and that’s really where the opportunities for us to work together are going to come from.”

Marshall said the ranch is reaching out to local guides/outfitters, artisans, and businesses to develop experiences for visitors.

“Catching a redband trout up on the Donner und Blitzen might be something that some of us take for granted. For others that have never had that opportunity — especially if they’re working with someone that’s really talked to them about the ecology of the area, the history of the area — it may be a life moment for them,” Marshall said.

Campbell said he believes the greatest opportunity is for craftspeople and artisans.

In addition to featuring work by artists from Grant and Harney counties, the retreat’s gift shop will be used to direct guests to galleries in both communities.

Regarding direct job opportunities, Marshall said the retreat is looking to hire around 20 employees this year, and hopes to create 90 to 100 jobs within a six-year time frame. Examples of these jobs include general managers, sous chefs, groundskeepers, bar tenders, maintenance workers, and certified instructors for the retreat’s shooting ranges. Preference will be given to people who live in Grant and Harney counties.

“This project has had huge, huge community support. It wouldn’t be even possible without the support of [Harney County Economic Development Director] Randy [Fulton] and other people in the community really helping us get this project off the ground,” Campbell said.

Marshall agreed explaining that Fulton and Grant County Economic Development Director Sally Bartlett have been instrumental in the process. He encouraged businesses who want to work with Silvies Valley Ranch to go through the economic development offices and local banking systems.

Court, public response to presentation

Harney County Judge Pete Runnels suggested working with Fulton, Training and Employment Consortium, and the Oregon Employment Department to develop a job fair geared toward employment opportunities at the retreat.

Campbell said he is working with management to “nail down” a list of jobs that will be needed, and Marshall said he will work with Fulton to organize the job fair.

Harney County Commissioner Patty Dorroh asked whether anything will prevent the retreat from opening.

“At this point, we’re fairly certain that, as of July 1, we’re going to be opening for a preview,” Marshall said, adding that Silvies Valley Ranch is working with Kemper Sports, “which is one of the best, if not the best, company in the country to work with on resort openings and operations.”

Harney County Commissioner Mark Owens asked whether transportation would be provided to the retreat, and Marshall replied that there’s an opportunity to develop a park and ride.

Mitzi Defenbaugh expressed concern about the changes that the retreat’s clientele could bring to the community and asked, “How are you going to protect our way of life?”

Marshall replied, “Each and every conversation [with guests] gives us an opportunity to educate about our community, about why ranching is important, why flood irrigation matters, why raising hay is a good thing for us, and why we work very, very hard to feed the world…I cannot tell you how excited I am to be able to sit down with people and talk to them about the ranching way of life and why we are working on being such great stewards of the ground and why maintaining our culture is so vitally important for this country.”

Barbara Kull asked whether the retreat will offer a reduced membership for local golfers. Campbell said locals who are members of a club in Grant or Harney County will be offered a greatly reduced rate, and he plans to meet with the clubs to work out the details.

Kull also asked about winter sports opportunities at the retreat.

“Someday I would love to have those things, but just for now, we’re trying to just bite off chunks that we can handle,” Campbell replied.

Jerry Woodfin asked whether seasonal jobs will come with benefits, and Marshall replied that these details are still being worked out.

Brandon McMullen asked about housing for temporary seasonal employees. Marshall said the retreat envisions that employee housing will be in communities such as Burns, Hines, Seneca, John Day, and Canyon City.

Additional 

presentations to come

Fulton said the presentation that was given during the county court meeting was only a draft, and the Community Revitalization Team is organizing a meeting for a community presentation.

Marshall said he and Campbell can also provide presentations to specific groups or organizations throughout Harney and Grant counties, as well as other communities.

“We don’t plan to do it as a one shot deal,” he said. “We will have as many of those conversations as we need.”

•••

In other business, the court:

• met with Brenda Smith and Rachel Beaubien of the Harney County Watershed Council.

Smith reported that the council was awarded a grant to begin an integrated water planning effort for Harney County using the collaborative process;

• received an annual report from Harney County Weed Control Coordinator Jim Campbell.

Campbell also informed the court that someone expressed interest in joining the Weed Board. Openings will be advertised in the Burns Times-Herald, and anyone who is interested in serving on the board will be asked to submit a letter of interest. The court will address member approvals during its next regular meeting;

• approved Resolution 2017-02 in the matter of requesting an emergency declaration for Harney County due to severe winter storms that include heavy snow and ice accumulation, possible flooding, and the need for heating assistance;

• reviewed the mineral rights application submitted by Tyler and Enna Kaady and discussed the application process. It was the consensus of the court to proceed with the request;

• was addressed during the public comment period by Defenbaugh, Kull, Pamela Reid and Barbara Cannady;

• changed the budget board meeting that was scheduled for April 26 to May 4;

• approved a court order in the matter of appointing Vicky J. Clemens Justice of the Peace Pro Tempore for Harney County Justice Court for the 2017 calender year;

• reviewed water use requests;

• received correspondence from the Prairie City Ranger District of the Malheur National Forest soliciting comments regarding an environmental analysis to reauthorize grazing on three allotments through the Blue Dollar Complex Allotment Management Plans Project;

• will hold a public work session Wednesday, Feb. 8 from 5-7 p.m. in Runnels’ office at the courthouse.

The next regular meeting of the Harney County Court will be held Wednesday, Feb. 15, at 10 a.m. at the courthouse.