Gorge Casino Opponents Submit More Than 9,000 Opposition Comments to the Off-Reservation Plan

With the official public comment period for the proposed Gorge casino set to close tomorrow, casino opponents today submitted another 5,000 comments to the federal government from citizens concerned about the controversial plan. Previously, opponents submitted more than 4,000 comments, bringing total opposition comments to more than 9,000.

In addition, recent polling in Hood River County -- home to the proposed casino -- reveals local support for a casino in the county has sunk to an all-time low with just 22% of county voters expressing support for a casino and 56% opposed.

"An overwhelming majority of Hood River county residents as well as Oregonians oppose a Gorge casino. We urge state and federal policy makers and regulators to reject this bad idea and to work with the Warm Springs people to pursue an on-reservation casino alternative plan," said Dan Lavey, spokesman for Coalition for Oregon's Future.

This comes as controversy over the distance that tribal members would have to commute from their homes on the reservation to the proposed new casino also grows. Pro-casino lobbyists claimed it was a 40-mile commute, but were forced to back-track when it was revealed to be a 200+ mile daily commute. In January, the federal government issued new guidelines requiring new off reservation casinos to be located within a reasonable commuting distance for tribal members wishing to work at casinos.

Source: Coalition for Oregon's Future

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