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Former Oregon Officials Support Tribal Casino

OREGON – As reported by the Columbian: "Twelve former Columbia River Gorge commissioners are urging Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski to approve a site in Cascade Locks, Ore., for a new Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs casino.

"The former commissioners, who represent more than 60 years of service on the bi-state panel, decided to weigh in on the hotly contested casino issue because they believe the Cascade Locks site would be more compatible with protecting the gorge than the alternative, a steep site on Warm Springs tribal trust land just east of Hood River, Ore.

"…The Warm Springs tribe could build a casino at Hood River without Kulongoski's permission, but in order to build at Cascade Locks it has to persuade the governor to change an Oregon state policy that prohibits off-reservation Indian casinos.

"If he approves the Cascade Locks site, only 40 minutes from downtown Portland and 50 minutes from Vancouver, some predict it would set a precedent and trigger a rush of applications by other Oregon tribes for new gaming centers near urban areas.

"…The tribe's proposed design for the Cascade Locks casino, unveiled by architects at an April meeting of gorge county planners, calls for a 500,000-square-foot building that would house a casino, conference center, Native American museum, hotel, small shops and restaurants, and a parking lot big enough to accommodate 3,900 cars…"

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