CARS Chairman Ed Lynch today asked the Clark County Commission to approve a resolution opposing an Indian casino in Clark County. Lynch asked the three commissioners, Betty Sue Morris, Marc Boldt and Steve Stuart, to join officials from five other elected bodies in Clark County who have already voted to oppose the casino proposed by the Cowlitz Indian Tribe at the La Center I-5 junction.
For the first time, Morris and Stuart this year stated their opposition the casino in Clark County -- Morris in her recent "state of the county" address and Stuart in a Jan. 29 Columbian opinion piece. Boldt has registered his opposition to a casino many times before.
In an accompanying letter, Lynch asked for a resolution to be signed so county constituents "can be certain you agree that a casino as proposed by the Cowlitz Tribe has no place here."
A resolution would place the three on record opposing the casino as they prepare for hearings prior to negotiating a new Memorandum of Understanding with the tribal developers. Hearings dates have been set for: 6 p.m. April 7 at the La Center Commons, 4:15 p.m. April 10 at Maple Grove Elementary School and 10 a.m. April 15 at the Clark County Services Building.
If you would like to share your thoughts with the commissioners, you can reach them at (360) 397-2232, or:
bettysue.morris@clark.wa.gov
marc.boldt@clark.wa.gov
steve.stuart@clark.wa.gov
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For more information, check out the CARS Web site:
Who’s behind the proposed casino project?
Many of CARS’ stories about this casino proposal describe it as the work of “the Cowlitz Tribe.” But every time we attribute it to “the Tribe,” we wince.
The casino project is being driven by the Salishan-Mohegan partnership, which includes:
+ the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority (49.15 percent)
+ David Barnett (Salishan Co.), son of the late tribal Chairman John Barnett (sharing 43 percent with the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians)
+ the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians, California (sharing 43 percent with David Barnett)
+ the Mohegan Tribe, Connecticut (7.85 percent)
According to the development agreement, the partnership would receive fees equal to 3 percent of total project costs. The management agreement states that Salishan-Mohegan would manage, operate and maintain the casino-resort for seven years and earn 24 percent of annual net revenues.
We want to be clear: CARS is critical of the casino proposal and the way it has been pursued. Beyond its involvement in the casino, we have no issue with the Cowlitz Tribe.
The casino project is being driven by the Salishan-Mohegan partnership, which includes:
+ the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority (49.15 percent)
+ David Barnett (Salishan Co.), son of the late tribal Chairman John Barnett (sharing 43 percent with the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians)
+ the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians, California (sharing 43 percent with David Barnett)
+ the Mohegan Tribe, Connecticut (7.85 percent)
According to the development agreement, the partnership would receive fees equal to 3 percent of total project costs. The management agreement states that Salishan-Mohegan would manage, operate and maintain the casino-resort for seven years and earn 24 percent of annual net revenues.
We want to be clear: CARS is critical of the casino proposal and the way it has been pursued. Beyond its involvement in the casino, we have no issue with the Cowlitz Tribe.
About CARS
Citizens Against Reservation Shopping (CARS) is a group of Clark County, Wash., citizens formed in June 2005 and led by longtime Vancouver businessman and civic leader Edward Lynch.
CARS opposes the Cowlitz Tribe's plan to build a casino in Clark County in part because it objects to the practice of "reservation shopping." This is the practice of selecting an ideal casino site and then working to have it given reservation status.