Tribes come to Portland looking for action

Monday, April 10, 2000 | 4:07 a.m.

"It's getting more sophisticated, you have to compete," said Robert Watson, interim chief executive officer for the Grand Ronde tribes' Spirit Mountain Casino. "There's always new challenges to regulation and in marketing and in the sophistication of the games."

About 450 vendors will display their wares at the ninth annual National Indian Gaming Association's Trade Show and Convention, which is being held at the Oregon Convention Center. Bally Gaming and Systems in Las Vegas will bring 22 different slot machines for the exhibits, which open Tuesday.

"It's really the only chance each year we get to show what we have to tribes all over the nation," said Marcus Prater, director of marketing for Bally.

The gaming association represents 168 of the 198 tribes that do gaming in the United States.

The association will also brief tribes on casino management, regulation and pending legislation on Internet gambling and hold seminars on subjects such as "Building Political Capital on the Hill" and "How to Drive Profit Thru Food and Beverage Marketing."

Since the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act passed Congress in 1988, gambling has become an important source of revenue for some of the nation's 558 federally recognized tribes.

The tribes use the profits to fund health, education, welfare and economic development.

And some get rich. It's estimated that the largest 20 tribal casinos earn more than 50 percent of the industry's total revenue - generally those that operate near large population centers.

But tribes big and small and wealthy and poor are coming to Portland for the show, which ends Wednesday. And there will be a definite California feel.

With voters opening the tribal gaming market there, many California tribes will be shopping for furniture, equipment and advice.

Analysts estimate that the California gaming market, with its large population, could surpass the Las Vegas Strip, a $3.8 billion-a-year market.

The Portland Oregon Visitors Association estimates that the 2,250 registered delegates to the conference will bring $1.4 million in direct spending on hotels, meals and entertainment.