Oregon Public Broadcasting

An extended comment and waiting period for a proposed tribal casino north of Vancouver ends Monday.  As Pete Springer reports, there are strong opinions about where the tribe should be allowed to build a casino.

The Cowlitz tribe was not recognized by the federal government until 2000. 

As such, they have no official reservation or tribal lands.

That may change soon.  A final study by the federal government last May came down in favor of allowing the tribe to purchase land to build a casino just off exit sixteen on I-5 north of Vancouver. 

Chuck Cushman opposes that plan.  He’s with the American Land Rights Association.

Chuck Cushman: “In other words, the tribe is looking for a reservation; they suddenly find sacred ground where there’s an off-ramp close to a population center.  In this case, the Cowlitz tribe is trying to pretend that it was always in this area when it wasn’t.”

A Cowlitz tribal spokesman says this is simply not true.  He says the feds could not favor the land purchase unless the area was officially considered land historically occupied by the tribe.

Both sides are preparing for a legal fight once the government makes a final decision.