"Now that the Bureau of Indian Affairs has granted permission to the Cowlitz Tribe to establish a reservation and build a casino near La Center, Northwesterners should hope the proverbial other shoe doesn’t fall before Jan. 10. A decade-long quest by The Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs to build a large casino in the Columbia River Gorge has reached a critical point, with a deadline of sorts looming as Oregon prepares to install a new governor. And while the political wrangling is entirely on the Oregon side of the river, the debate is relevant to Clark County residents when we recall that the Gorge also belongs to Washington.
Some background: The Warm Springs tribes have proposed a 90,000-square-foot casino, 241-room hotel and 26,000-square-foot convention center for a site in Cascade Locks, Ore. The site would be nestled along the Columbia River in one of the most scenic areas of the country. In August, the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs released its final environmental impact statement regarding the casino, declaring that an industrial park in Cascade Locks is the preferred site for the monstrosity. On Jan. 10, John Kitzhaber will succeed Ted Kulongoski as governor of Oregon. Kulongoski has been a supporter of the proposed casino, while Kitzhaber — when he was governor from 1995-2003 — has opposed it. Because of that, advocates on both sides of the issue are treating this as crunch time for the proposal. Advocates know they are running out of time before Kitzhaber takes office; critics are holding their breath until that happens." Get the Story: