Dam laser show, visitor center still closed per CDC guidelines, for now

Will the Laser Light Show and Visitor Center at the Grand Coulee Dam, which saw nearly  200,000 people in 2019, open this spring?

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation didn’t answer the question from The Star with a straight yes or no, but did answer.

“At this time, the laser light show and Grand Coulee Dam Visitor Center will remain temporarily closed in support of the recommended guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,” said Public Affairs Specialist Erika Lopez, who works in Boise, Idaho, in an email.

Lopez said that the Grand Coulee Dam Visitor Center counted 199,717 visitors to its site in 2019.

Whether those visitors come to the area or not can have an impact on local businesses. 

“Two of the area’s largest draws are the Grand Coulee Dam itself and the city’s proximity to a National Park Service property,” said Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Rachelle Haven. “Like all rural communities, tourism is critical to the lifeblood of the Grand Coulee Dam area’s economy. Tourism generates monies from outside dollars and directly benefits tourism-specific businesses like motels, restaurants, and grocery stores.”

The chamber has tentatively made plans for area events, however, including some that involve bureau property, such as the annual “Festival of America” in July, hoping for the best.

Last year, the visitor center and dam tours were closed, and the laser show and annual fireworks shows at the dam didn’t run because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Laser Light Show typically starts on Memorial Day Weekend and runs through the summer into the fall.