Among the many fears raised by opponents of the proposed Cowlitz Casino is that the ability of the region to recruit outside businesses to the area would be hindered.
It’s argued the casino’s presence on land adjacent to I-5 envisioned for future industrial use would make the surrounding area unattractive to developers and would drain the county’s social and economic climate.
The proposed 152-acre casino site sits at the northern end of a strip of land straddling I-5 between Salmon Creek and La Center, dubbed the Discovery Corridor. The corridor is tapped as the future home of information- and technology-based industry clusters, providing tax-revenue and high-wage jobs.
Port of Ridgefield Executive Director Brent Grening said a casino was “not a use contemplated when we talked about the potential of information- and technology-based businesses locating to the county,” but he doesn’t see a casino detracting from the ability to bring those uses to the Discovery Corridor.
Industrial businesses may not want to locate next to the casino, but he said it could create opportunities for “other businesses who may want to locate there.”
Pam Neal, director of business recruitment for the CREDC, said a development such as the one proposed by the Cowlitz Tribe could affect interest in the immediate vicinity by companies the development council works to attract.
“Most industrial clients we work with like to have industrial users around them,” she said. “I think it would impact our ability to recruit industrial users there.”
Industrial users prefer not to have other commercial or residential development around them due to increased automobile traffic and possible complaints from citizens, said Neal.
The casino would also represent a loss of land on the industrial side.
“It’s prime land for industrial use,” said Neal. “We are running out of industrial sites.”
Quality of life considerations, including education, housing, crime and recreation, are typically taken into account by firms when considering relocating or expanding into a new region. Neal said a casino would not likely be something they would market to prospective companies.
The CREDC has not officially taken a stance on the proposed casino.
Matt Smith, director of business development at the Snohomish County Economic Development Council has witnessed the influence the Tulalip Casino has had on the county’s town of Marysville. He said while industrial recruitment may slow in the vicinity of the Cowlitz casino, he doubts a casino would have a dramatic negative impact on business recruitment to the area.
“Our experience has been very positive in that it has attracted retail activity,” said Smith. “As a general economic engine, (the Tulalip Casino) has been quite good.”
The majority of development around the casino has been by retail businesses, but the impact has spread much further, he said.
“It has drawn people’s attention to Marysville,” said Smith, noting it is not the undeveloped rural town it was in the past. “It’s an indicator of economic vitality here,” he said.
Port of Ridgefield commissioner Roy Randel believes the proposed casino could serve as an economic engine for Clark County as well.
“I believe that will be the case here,” he said. “I don’t see it as a determent to development of the Discovery Corridor. That would be a stretch to tie that to development of nine miles of freeway interchanges.”
Randel said he is not for or against the casino, but he understands how it could become an amenity.
“The issue is how the community and county market its desirability,” he said.
Smith said he wouldn’t dissuade a company from looking at the Tulalip Casino when marketing the Snohomish County. And for the right company it may be something its employees may enjoy, or not.
“It goes both ways,” he said.
In addition, the Tulalip Tribe built a wastewater plant that is now utilized by others, said Smith. The Tribe has now become a partner of the SNOEDC.
“The Tribe is more supportive and interested in economic development because they benefit,” said Smith. “It’s in their best interest to support added development. It brings jobs and potential customers of the casino.”
Caldie Rogers, president of the Greater Marysville Tulalip Chamber of Commerce, said the Tulalip Casino is a strong selling point for the community.
“It’s an intrinsic part and parcel of wooing anybody here,” she said. “For us it is not a disincentive.”
Rogers said there are a number of major industrial groups looking to locate there, including a Southwest Washington corporation looking at locating a sawmill in the area.
Rogers recently presented her positive report at a Battle Ground Chamber of Commerce casino debate between Cowlitz developer Dave Barnett and Craig Rowland, who is an independent investor involved in several successful high-tech startups. He recently moved to Clark County from Texas and has become an opponent of the Cowlitz’ plans for a casino. Rowland warns of the impacts it will have on the county’s economy. Businesses considering locating to Clark County will think twice when they see a casino, he said.
“Locating near a casino is a business risk they need to take into account,” said Rowland.
A casino would create a lower quality of life and higher costs due to casino workers gobbling up affordable housing and higher rates of embezzlement and theft, he said.
Additionally, companies located here may find it more difficult to attract employees that don’t want to live near a casino, he said.
“Unless you are selling goods to the casino, it can only hurt you,” he said. “There is no good business case to be near a casino.”
