Governor asked to appeal casino decision

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Wednesday, July 9, 2003 | 9:49 a.m.

FLORENCE, Ore. -- With contradictory decisions by the federal court and the Florence City Council, a tribal casino on Highway 126 is far from a done deal.

Last week, U.S. District Judge Tom Coffin upheld the right of the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians to put a casino on a 98-acre stretch of land called the Hatch Tract. It was the second time a federal court has done so.

But on Monday night, the Florence City Council voted to ask Gov. Ted Kulongoski to take Coffin's decision to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The council also voted to exclude the tract from the city's urban growth boundary, preventing the tribes from hooking into city water and sewer services.