Tribe rejects casino plan

Thursday, May 25, 2000 | 10:53 a.m.

MADRAS, Ore. -- Don't bet on a Warm Springs casino here.

Tribal members on Wednesday voted down a proposal to build a casino in the nearby Central Oregon town of Madras.

The tribe has been struggling over what to do since Gov. John Kitzhaber last fall blocked its controversial proposal to build an off-reservation casino in the Columbia River Gorge town of Cascade Locks.

Some members of the tribal council had hoped a casino would help make up the gap from falling timber and dam revenue.

The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs already operate a small casino at its Kah-Nee-Ta Resort 10 miles from U.S. 26 on the reservation, but a casino in Madras was expected to make three times as much -- $9 million a year.

But some members were against plans for the $25 million casino in Madras, saying they wanted to keep jobs on the reservation. Others feared the tribe would have to buy or lease additional land in Madras. The tribe owns nine acres in a Madras industrial park.

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