Cowlitz Tribe negotiating gaming agreement with former rival

Wednesday, September 14, 2011  

The Cowlitz Tribe is in negotiations with the city council in La Center, Washington, to address gaming issues.

Negotiations began earlier this year after the city council dropped its longstanding opposition to the proposed Cowlitz Casino Resort. Talks have progressed quickly in the last few months.

“I am quite surprised,” La Center Mayor Jim Irish told The Columbian, “considering we didn’t want to work with them in the past.”

The city stands in contrast to other governments. Clark County has filed a lawsuit against Bureau of Indian Affairs, saying the tribe can't follow the land-into-trust process as a result of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Carcieri v. Salazar.

The BIA's record of decision stated that the Cowlitz were "under federal jurisdiction" in 1934 -- a key issue in the Supreme Court case -- even though the tribe didn't gain formal federal recognition until 2000.

Get the Story:
La Center, Cowlitz in talks on a sewer for planned casino (The Columbian 9/14)

Related Stories:
State won't intervene in lawsuit against Cowlitz Tribe's casino (9/8)
State pressed to intervene in lawsuit on Cowlitz Tribe's casino (8/29)