From the Traverse City Record-Eagle via Pechanga (of course):
ACME — The search is on for a new leader at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, since its president and general manager is headed to southern California.
Grant Channing led the 600-room resort owned by the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians for more than three years. He’ll step down Friday and will take over as vice president of hotel operations at the Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif., a 517-room resort and casino north of San Diego owned by the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians.
“Something has to challenge me for me to go, and there were some challenges there that intrigued me to go,” Channing said. “The most difficult thing, frankly, was leaving here.”
Channing will be reunited at Pechanga Resort with its general manager, Craig Clark. The two worked together at Turning Stone Resort near Syracuse, N.Y.
“He was kind of the driving force to think about moving,” Channing said.
Channing, 61, joined the resort in fall 2006 after stints at the tribal-owned resorts in California and New York. He replaced Andrew Bateman, who served as general manager after the Grand Traverse Band purchased the property in 2003.
Channing is a native of Winnipeg and graduated from the University of Winnipeg. He spent much of his career in the hospitality industry in Canada at resorts from Vancouver to Nova Scotia before moving to the U.S. in the mid-1990s.
He commended the Grand Traverse Band’s commitment to the resort, and oversaw the final stages of a $15 million, resort-wide renovation that was completed before it hosted the National Governors Conference in 2007.
“They put the money in, they supported it and they’re proud of it,” Channing said. “For the most part, anything I’ve accomplished is really due to the people here.”
Pechanga Resort is a 4-diamond facility that includes the largest casino in the western U.S. and spans nearly 190,000-square feet. It also features an 18-hole golf course and employs 4,300 people. The Pechanga tribe’s reservation dates to 1882. Channing will be in charge of the resort’s hotel, retail, spa, golf and sales operations.
Grand Traverse Band Tribal Chairman Derek Bailey called Channing “a highly skilled leader” in a statement from the band.
“His knowledge of resort operations, understanding of the hospitality industry and strong support of tourism in the region and the state will be missed,” Bailey said.
State tourism officials also said Channing was a strong voice throughout Michigan for the state’s tourism industry. He served for three years on the board of the Michigan Lodging and Tourism Association, a statewide advocacy and lobbying group.
“Grant has done a superb job at taking the Grand Traverse Resort from its already high plateau to another level up,” said Steve Yencich, the group’s president and CEO.
Tribal officials said the band’s Economic Development Corp. will head up a search to hire a new general manager. A resort official said there’s no specific time frame to name a replacement. Scott Chouinard, a 19-year resort employee who is assistant general manager and chief financial officer, will serve as interim general manager.
Turtle Talk 