"Oregon currently has nine tribal casinos. A race is on to build new casinos to capture the Portland and Medford markets. The stakes are high - casino backers project $400 million in adjusted gross revenue for a casino near Portland. But despite investments of millions of dollars, each runner is frozen at the starting line. A Medford casino proposed by the Coquille Tribe faces daunting administrative hurdles.
A proposed non-Indian casino only 15 miles from downtown Portland is destined to fail at the ballot box. A casino in the Columbia Gorge town of Cascade Locks proposed by the Warm Springs Tribes has been shelved. Meanwhile, the Cowlitz Tribe's proposed 3,000-machine casino just across the Columbia River from Portland is mired in litigation. For now, it looks like the Grand Ronde Spirit Mountain Casino will maintain its prized position as the closest casino gaming to Portland. Non-Indian Gaming in the Gorge at "The Grange"
The latest casualty in this race is a group of Canadian investors that have been pumping money into November ballot initiatives. The initiatives would pave the way for construction of "The Grange," a development featuring 3,500 slot machines and 150 gaming tables only 20 minutes from downtown Portland at the former Multnomah Kennel Club r acetrack."
Get the Story:
Patrick Sullivan: Racing To New Off-Reservation Gaming In Oregon
(Mondaq.com 10/30)
Username: indianz@indianz.com. Password: indianz
Also Today:
Grand Ronde Continuing To Spend Big Against Dead Casino
(Williamette Week 10/30)
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