2
January 1995
G a m in g ( Continued)
But we also re a liz ed that the future of gaming was
uncertain. So we planned that our gaming revenues would
be used to meet our immediate tribal and community
needs, but also that a portion of gaming revenues should
be invested to meet future needs.
We reminded our tribal members that "the planning
phase of this project will be long and difficult..." and
advised that as with other economic development projects,
some aspects of the project must not be too widely
publicized such as the identification of potential sites."
We assured our members that we would provide as
much information as we could, as the planning progressed.
We have kept that promise through these monthly
newsletters, and in our Council and community meetings.
THE AD HOC GAMING COMMISSION IS ESTABLISHED
AND CONSULTANTS RECRUITED.
In November, 1991, an Ad Hoc Gaming Commission
was established with Jessie Davis as chairman. Others
named were Dee Pigsley, the Tribal Chairman, Nelsen Witt,
CEO, and Craig Dorsay, tribal attorney. Subsequently, two
council members were added to the Commission making a
total of five. Present and past council members Prank
Simmons, Jane John, Lillie Butler and Phil Rilatos have
served as Commission members.
Because we knew that securing a site and
establishing a gaming center would be a complex process,
Forrest Gerard, former Assistant Secretary of the Interior,
was contracted to advise us on strategies involving
congressional and Department of Interior issues. Later, at
Gerard's recommendation, Lou Gallegos, who had formerly
served as assistant to Secretary Lujan, was hired as a -
tribal consultant.
Cogan, Sharpe and Cogan, a Portland based public
relations firm was hired to assist the Tribe to deal with
political issues which we knew we would encounter in
establishing a gaming center outside Siletz. CSC was later
replaced by Conklin, Fiskum and McCormick.
INITIAL FINANCING OF GAMING PROJECT
The Tribal Council committed tribal timber revenues
in the amount of $25,000 and secured a BIA technical
assistance grant in the amount of $15,000 to initiate the
project.
The Council also entered into an agreement with
First Astri, a development company involved at the time
with the management of the Sycuan Casino near San
Diego. First Astri agreed to assist the Tribe with the initial
planning and to completely fund the development phase in
exchange for consideration as the management company
for the facility.
TRIBE INFORMS CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES
OF GAMING PLANS
As one of our first action steps, the Chairman and
Vice-Chairman met with Governor Roberts, our
congressional representatives, Senators Hatfield and
Packwood, and representatives Kopetski, Defazio and
Wyden to inform them of the Tribe's gaming plans. They
also hosted an Oregon Tribes meeting in Siletz to let the
rest of the tribes know their intent.
REASONS FOR SEARCH OUTSIDE SILETZ
The Tribe's land base was extremely lim ited : 37 parcels of
virtually inaccessible, steeply wooded reservation
timberland totalling 3,633 acres and 39 acres in the town
of Siletz entirely occupied or already committed for other
tribal usés.
Because no suitable reservation land was available
for gaming, it was the consensus of the Tribal Council that
we should search for land in the Willamette valley, which
was in the Tribe's aboriginal area and considered to be the
most economically viable. Realtors were recruited to assist
in the search.
PROPERTY ADJACENT TO THE CITY OF DONALD
SELECTED
The rural, economically depressed city of Donald,
between Portland and Salem, was selected as the first
potential site and an option taken on the property. Donald
was selected because it was close to portland but rural,
and we hoped the site would not raise opposition from
urban centers.
The Tribe encountered active opposition from what
we considered to be the vocal minority, mainly anti-gaming
and anti-Indian elements outside Donald.
Our decision to drop Donald was not, however,
caused by this opposition. The Mayor and City Council
were completely supportive of the Tribes proposed gaming
center. The reason the site was dropped was because it
was just outside the city’s urban growth boundary, while
the city assured us that expansion o f the UGB to include
the site was only a technicality, it became clear to us after
consulting with experts that approval of a UGB expansion
would be a long, difficult process and could be tied up in
the court for years.
We were aware that anywhere we decided to go
outside Siletz, we were bound to encounter opposition.
In the February, 1992 issue of the Newsletter, we
said: "The Siletz Tribe intends to pursue its sovereign
rights under the law and will continue to pursue suitable
locations within the 11 County Service Area to establish
our gaming center. Our final objective remains the same."
NORTH SALEM PROPERTY OPTION SIGNED
Applying criteria we had developed in February of
1992 for the evaluation and selection of potential sites, the
Tribal Council selected from a list of nine sites, a 20 acre
parcel in North Salem.
The site was in the Tribe's aboriginal territory and
within our federally recognized 11 County Service Area.
Furthermore, the Tribe had an active community outreach
office in Salem long before Restoration. The ties to the
region were strong.
We signed an option on the 20 acre parcel in April of
1992. We also considered a site in South Salem near the
Salem airport, but decided to concentrate on the North
Salem site as the primary focus of our efforts.
FEE-TO-TR0ST ON THE NORTH SALEM SITE
REQUESTED
In a letter dated March 10, 1992, the Tribe
requested the Secretary of the Interior to take the Salem
property into trust. Triggered by that request, the Agency
Superintendent sent letters to the city, county and the state
informing them of the Tribe's plan and soliciting their
comments.
. On March 23, 1992, the Tribe presented the plans to
the Salem City Council, and responded to the concerns of
the City Council and the community.
The Tribal Council presentation included a brief
historical sketch of the Tribe and a description of the
Tribe's proposed gaming center; the legal basis for Indian
gaming; the myth o f criminal infiltration; and benefits to
the community.
Not surprisingly, the hard core opponents of Indian
gaming spoke in opposition to the project expressing the
usual unfounded arguments about alcohol, drugs, traffic,
crime and prostitution. When the vote was finally taken,
the City Council split on the issue, and by a 5 to 4 vote,
voted to support the community opposition to the Tribe’s
proposal in Salem.