When a large business begins scouting out a community, it generally needs to play by local rules. It addresses concerns of citizen groups and works with local governments to comply with zoning and land-use goals.
The developers of the proposed Cowlitz tribal casino have played a different game.
To date, the cities of Vancouver, La Center and Woodland, Clark County, the Woodland School District, the Port of Woodland, area chambers of commerce and numerous citizens groups have officially opposed a mega-casino at Interstate 5’s La Center exit.
Despite this, the casino developers press forward. Why? Because the decision will ultimately be made in Washington, D.C., by the U.S. Department of the Interior.
This decision is out of local hands by design. In 2004, just days after the Cowlitz Tribe secured its (now invalid) Memorandum of Understanding with Clark County, it applied to have the 152 acres purchased by Cowlitz developer David Barnett taken into trust for a casino and made the tribe’s “initial reservation.”
By doing so, the casino developers took away the governor’s veto power over the development and shunned the opportunity to work with local governments and area tribes under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
Soon thereafter, Barnett announced his personal partnership with Connecticut’s Mohegan Tribe, owner of the second-largest casino in the country. The developers used the MOU, which had been negotiated before a casino was the declared goal, to imply local cooperation. Then-County Commissioner Judie Stanton told Citizens Against Reservation Shopping later she felt the tribe had deceived the county.
Why would developers do that? Because this casino-resort would be a rotten deal for Clark County.
Here are a few reasons why:
Food-stamp wages. With 3,100 projected employees, it would be among Clark County’s largest employers. The developers say its jobs would pay on average $28,000—about $10,000 less than the county average. More than 600 would have a wage midpoint of $17,090.
Where will workers come from? The Final Environmental Impact Statement released in May claims 90 percent of employees already live in Clark and Cowlitz counties. But what if they don’t?
In Connecticut, the Mohegans recruited casino workers from overseas. Even if many came from as close as Portland, that would significantly change the anticipated transportation and, quite likely, housing impacts.
The demise of local businesses. The EIS estimates the proposed casino would bring in $415 million a year in untaxable gaming revenue in addition to the money that would be spent in the casino-resort’s shops, restaurants, hotel, and entertainment and convention center. That means millions will be spent there instead of in local businesses.
The stalling of I-5. The EIS says the casino-resort would add 16,714 weekday trips and 19,574 Saturday trips to the transportation network, but characterizes the increase as “generally small.” With an admitted 92 percent of trips coming from the south, it’s easy to imagine the West Coast’s main thoroughfare turning into a parking lot. What about the already-crowded I-5 bridge? The Cowlitz EIS has no answer, so it claims there will be no problem.
Problem gambling. About 7,893 adults in Clark and Cowlitz counties already need treatment for gambling problems and the proposed casino would increase this by another 1,716, according to the EIS. The tribe has offered as little as $50,000 a year to help mitigate the impact on area counseling programs.
Citizens Against Reservation Shopping recognizes the Cowlitz Tribe’s right to a reservation and casino under federal law, but we believe the developers should locate their casino-resort in Lewis County. A study by ECONorthwest has shown that to be the location nearest the greatest number of Cowlitz Tribe members and it is in the heart of their federally acknowledged homeland.
