Abstract:
In April 2005, Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski announced that the state had agreed to allow the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs to build a large casino and resort in the town of Cascade Locks. Unlike previous sites, the proposed casino would not be built on tribal land, but rather on soon-to-be acquired land an hour outside of Portland. The intention was to attract gamblers from the lucrative Portland market, and use this money to revive the Warm Springs Tribe's dying economy. This proposal was met with resistance, as people feared the influx of tourists would degrade the surrounding gorge wildlife, and threaten the "moral well-being" of vulnerable residents.
Learning Objective:
This case outlines the different types of opposition that the casino faced, and the Abramoff scandal which tightened restrictions on the siting of tribal casinos.
