Openings & Closings

Cowlitz Tribe close to reaching agreement with city for new casino

Friday, February 5, 2016

Construction on the Cowlitz Casino and Entertainment Resort in Washington. Still image from Cowlitz Casino Project

The Cowlitz Tribe is close to reaching an intergovernmental agreement for its long-awaited casino in Washington.

The tribe and the city of La Center are still hashing out the details, The Battle Ground Reflector reported. Among other provisions, the tribe has agreed to pay for all the costs associated with a highway project at the site of the Cowlitz Casino and Entertainment Resort. The deal also includes at least $2 million in financial commitments for other projects.

The tribe has already started work on the $500 million and anticipates an opening in the spring of 2017. It's located at a 152-acre site that was placed in trust last March after a long battle that continues in the federal courts. The Bureau of Indian Affairs declared the land to be a reservation in November.

Get the Story:
Cowlitz Tribe, city of La Center close in on agreement (The Battle Ground Reflector 2/3)
Washington Congresswoman concerned about Cowlitz tribe’s sewer plans (The Battle Ground Reflector 2/3)

Federal Register Notices:
Proclaiming Certain Lands as Reservation for the Cowlitz Indian Tribe (November 13, 2015)
Land Acquisitions; Cowlitz Indian Tribe (May 8, 2013)

DOI Solicitor Opinion:
M-37029: The Meaning of "Under Federal Jurisdiction" for Purposes of the Indian Reorganization Act (March 12, 2014)