Oregon gets ready for Washington casino
New ilani Casino Resort in Washington may damage gaming revenue in neighboring Oregon State.
US.- The State of Oregon has reported concerns about the inauguration of ilani Casino Resort in Washington. The Cowlitz Native Tribe gaming centre was opened yesterday for the first time, and it already generated controversial over its neighbor’s revenue. According to Oregon officials, casino activities in Washington may jeopardise the state’s economy.
Currently, Oregon legislators are discussing two different gaming proposals to whether boost or limit casino offerings. If the government allows further gaming licenses, Portland Meadows, the state’s horseracing track, would be able to increase its video lottery terminals from 10 to 40, as World Casino Directory reported.
Meanwhile, residents from Portland, the capital of the State, are only 30 minutes away from the exclusive casino, which offers over 2,500 slots, 75 gaming tables, 15 restaurants, retail stores and bars. Cowlitz tribe finally opened its US$510 million casino yesterday, after seven years of expectations and delays due to a legal battle.
“It’s going to have a big economic impact on us,” Justin Martin, a lobbyist for the Oregon’s Confederated Tribes Of The Grand Ronde Community, commented to Portland’s newspaper Willamette Week. Furthermore, the Oregon Lottery would lose US$110 million, or 12 percent of its profits, according to a report of Oregon Office Of Economic Analysis quoted by World Casino Directory.
