Architect’s drawing shows what a casino and motel complex proposed by the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz would look like along Interstate 5 in north Salem.
By WHITNEY WOODWORTH/Salem Statesman-Journal
The owners of Lincoln County’s only tribal casino are pushing ahead with its proposal to build its second casino in Oregon – a $280 million project along Interstate 5 in north Salem.
If approved by federal and state leaders, the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians’ casino would have 2,000 slots, nine poker tables, bars, lounges and 500 hotel rooms that would bring jobs, entertainment and tourism to north Salem, the tribe says.
But opponents – including the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde — say the creation of the casino would be unfair to other tribes and harm the state’s largest casino to the east in Grand Ronde. They also warn it could bring traffic and crime problems to the area.
The public is invited to weigh in on the project as the federal government considers giving the casino the green light.
The Siletz tribe already operates its Chinook Winds Casino Resort in Lincoln City, which employs 800 people and provides the bulk of funds for the tribes various programs. Its plans for Salem includes a 180,800-square-foot casino, two hotel towers with 500 rooms, restaurants, a nightclub and sports bar, and an event center on property the tribe owns just west of Interstate 5 and south of the Chemawa Indian School.
The political hurdles — review by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, a decision from the Secretary of Interior and either a rejection or concurrence from Gov. Kate Brown — means it would be several years before any casino could open.
The tribe said its casino would bring 1,200 living wage jobs in addition to 2,300 construction jobs. And it promises to share an “unprecedented 25 percent of the net gaming revenue with state and local government while splitting 50 percent of the net revenues with participating tribes,” tribe officials said.
A prior failed Salem effort
The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the authority of tribes to establish gaming operations in 1987, opening the door for tribes in Oregon to establish casinos. Now, eight casinos are run by Oregon tribes. Efforts to build private casinos and casinos closer to urban areas have repeatedly failed.
Proposals for a north Salem casino from the Siletz faced strident opposition in the 1990s. A 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in 1997 upheld a governor’s ability to limit or deny gambling facilities in urban areas like Salem. Then-Gov. John Kitzhaber was opposed to that kind of build-up off of reservations.
The ruling set a precedent for “one tribe, one casino” away from urban centers, but the rule is not set in stone.
While the proposal creeps through government red tape, formal opposition has formed against the project.
The “No Salem Casino” website says, in bold letters, “Salem Doesn’t Need More Traffic and a Las Vegas Casino in Our Neighborhood” and features statements of opposition by Marion County Commissioner Kevin Cameron and Salem City Councilor Jose Gonzalez.
Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, which operates the Spirit Mountain Casino and Lodge, is vigorously opposing the casino.
Justin Martin, a lobbyist for the Grand Ronde, said the move would break a decades-long precedent of tribes in Oregon only having one casino. The addition of the north Salem casino would make it the only tribe in Oregon to have two.
Martin also said a Salem casino would pull people away from Spirit Mountain — depriving that tribe of millions of dollars used to fund things like their elder care and support, health care and preschool programs. The Grand Ronde estimate 42 percent of its casino revenue could be lost to a Salem casino.
An impact assessment prepared at the behest of the Grand Ronde predicted the casino would draw $74 million in revenue away from Spirit Mountain and $43 million in annual gaming dividends from the Grand Ronde.
“The economic impact would be devastating to us,” Martin said.
Martin said jobs could be impacted at Spirit Mountain, the biggest employer in Polk County. Allowing the casino to open would set an alarming precedent in Oregon, he said. More casinos could pop up closer to urban centers and create inequity among tribes.
It could turn into an arms race to open the next casino and could open the door for private casinos to take a stranglehold over the region, Martin said.
No Salem Casino has warned a casino in north Salem would increase traffic in surrounding neighborhoods; take jobs away from local lottery retailers, restaurants and casinos; and cause an increase in 911 calls to a neighborhood with already one of the highest crime rates in Salem.
The land for the proposed site is near the Hee Hee Illahee Rv Resort, also owned by the tribe, and several businesses like Harbor Freight Tools. Most of the homes nearby are located in a residential area south of Portland Road.
Provides funds to tribe
Craig Dorsey, the project’s attorney for Siletz’s proposed casino, said claims of increased crime play into a stereotype about tribal casinos. And he said the casino would help, not hurt, local businesses.
“Our experience is the exact opposite,” he said, pointing to a federal environmental assessment that said the project would increase socio-economic justice by providing jobs and community funds.
As part of the project, casino developers would provide intersection and other improvements to address traffic concerns, Dorsey said.
He said the tribe has a long history of being a good community member in Lincoln County and would do the same in Salem.
“We have a letter of support from Lincoln County summarizing their positive experience with a tribe,” Dorsey said.
A Siletz Tribe-funded DHM Research poll of 594 Salem and Keizer-area residents in October found that 64 percent of those surveyed indicated they would support a Salem-area casino.
“We know that the Siletz Casino Project will bring significant investments to the surrounding community and to all federally-recognized tribes in Oregon,” said Dee Pigsley, Tribal Council chair of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, in a statement.
Governor can weigh in
If the Bureau of Indian Affairs approves the casino, the project would still have to pass through the governor’s office before construction could begin.
In a letter to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Brown said because the Secretary of Interior had not yet made a determination, she had not made a decision on whether to concur on the project.
“I will wait for the secretary’s determination before weighing in,” she said. “If the opportunity arises for me to concur or decline to concur on such a determination, I will make a decision at that time, consistent with my administration’s policy on tribal gaming.”
Dorsey said Brown’s stance to not reject the casino outright has given them hope that the project will be approved.
“I can’t speculate about the timing and the decision itself, but it feels like we’re well on the way,” Dorsey said.
Earlier this month, the Bureau of Indian Affairs released an environmental assessment for the Siletz casino project. The assessment analyzes the impact a casino would have on traffic, water, law enforcement, nature and other services.
“There is a general belief that the introduction of legalized gambling into a community increases crime,” the assessment authors said. “However, this argument is based more on anecdotal evidence rather than empirical evidence.”
“Whenever large volumes of people are introduced into an area, the volume of crime would also be expected to increase. This is true of any large-scale development. Given the availability of gaming in the region, the addition of gaming in the city is not expected to lead to a material increase in crime rates in the area.”
The assessment also found the proposed project would lead to increased traffic on Interstate 5, Portland Road and many of the surrounding roads and intersections.
Siletz officials said they welcome public review of the environmental document and its supporting studies.
The federal government’s public comment period on the project will end April 8. It had been originally set to close Feb. 7.
City of Salem spokeswoman Courtney Knox Busch said city officials are reviewing the assessment and preparing to submit comments concerning potential impacts on city infrastructure and services, such as transportation, police and fire. The city asked the Department of Interior to give it until June 7 to review the assessment.
“An extension of the comment period is necessary to allow for an adequate review of the EA and to provide meaningful comments on this project,” city attorney Dan Atchison said in a letter to the Interior. “Salem, as the host for this project, will be directly affected by the development in a variety of ways and needs additional time to provide comment.”
Written comments can be emailed to scott.doig@bia.gov or mailed to Tammie Poitra, regional director, Bureau of Indian Affairs Midwest Region, 5600 American Blvd. W, Suite 500, Bloomington, MN 55437. Copies of the environmental assessment are available to view online at www.siletzsalemcasinonepa.com.
No more casinos. We have plenty. Keep it fair folks.