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House Bill WIll Not Affect Cascade Locks Casino

The bill has been passed in the House of Representatives Resource Committee. The bill sponsored by Chairman Richard Pombo, R-Calif., will regulate the way that Indian Tribes "reservation shop" in their search for sites upon which to build casinos.

The vote on Wednesday approved the bill 27 to 9, but even if it is passed by Congress, it will not stop the ongoing projects. The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs will be allowed to continue their plans to build a casino in the Cascade Locks area under the grandfather clause in the bill.

The Confederated Tribe of Warm Springs believes that the proposed bill is backed up by the fact a similar bill has been proposed by Senator John McCain, R-Ariz., which includes a "grandfather" clause.

Len Bregstein, tribal spokesperson said, "It is very clear that both Houses of Congress have a very clear picture of what Indian gaming should be and the Cascade Locks casino falls within that picture."

The Warm Springs Tribe is seeking to build a 500,000 square foot casino on 25 acres within the Port of Cascade Lock's industrial park.

According to Bergstein, "We believe this bill will be on the calendar in September for a full House vote because of its broad bipartisan support." Bergstein added that Friends of the Columbia Gorge and the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde can no longer claim that a casino in the Gorge would open the "floodgates" for other tribal gaming centers in and around the Portland-Metro area.