Casino
Timeline - 1995 to present
The history
of the race, and each
individual's experience,
are thick with evidence that a truth is not hard to kill and that a lie told well is immortal.
- Mark Twain
are thick with evidence that a truth is not hard to kill and that a lie told well is immortal.
- Mark Twain
Note: There have been two attempts to put a casino in Florence. The first, in 1995, was proposed for a location inside the city limits on Hwy. 101. The second is commonly referred to as the Hatch Tract, which abuts City limits to the east of Florence.
1994
The 1994 compact between the Confederated Tribes and the Roberts administration was for a parcel of land near Coos Bay, later made unrealistic for gambling because of the opening of the Mill Casino in North Bend, which opened in 1995. (2/12/02, Casino Economics, Siuslaw News, by Karen Vitek)
12/21/95
Hwy 101 Proposal
"About 300 people gathered at Siuslaw High School for the City Council hearing, which appeared to be headed into the late hours. Nearly all were there to voice their opposition to the casino proposed by the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians. . . . Because it is within the tribe's traditional aboriginal territory, Rose said, Florence has always been the preferred site." (Register-Guard, by Larry Bacon)
1/19/96
Hwy 101 Proposal
"... a 19-page response from the city of Florence to the Bureau of Indian Affairs about a coastal Indian tribe's proposal to build a casino in Florence ... approved by the City Council on Monday ... “We do not believe that a tribal gaming facility which is designed to create losers can make Florence residents winners.” City Council members went on record against the casino last month after two public hearings attended by hundreds of residents." (Register Guard, by Larry Bacon)
1/19/96
Hwy 101 Proposal
"At this time, I suggest you continue to work with your local organizations concerning the proposed casino. Individual and community involvement is critical in issues such as this." (Letter from Governor John A. Kitzhaber)
1996
Hwy 101 Proposal
"Last week, the Florence City Council approved its official response for federal officials. Objecting to the proposed casino, the city cited the potential for more crime and social problems, the loss of tax revenues and loss of city control over the development of the casino, as well as concerns about more traffic." (Siuslaw News, by Eric Fetters)
1996
Hwy 101 Proposal
"The majority of letters received by the county board of commissioners from Florence expressed opposition to the casino, Dumdi said." (Siuslaw News, by Eric Fetters)
1996
Hwy 101 Proposal
"Florence Mayor Roger McCorkle said the county commissioners’ neutral vote on the casino disappointed him. “I hoped they would take a supportive position for the city,” McCorkle said."
Feb/1996
Hwy 101 Proposal
“'I think their position is clear, and it's not a neutral position at all,' Florence Mayor Roger McCorkle said, calling for a letter of protest from the city to the county. ... The letter, McCorkle said, will criticize the commissioners for 'their lack of this community's position'.” (Siuslaw News, by Eric Fetters)
3/6/96
Acquisition of Hatch Tract
"Tribal officials deny they are currently looking at options to place a proposed Indian gaming center just outside Florence city limits." (Siuslaw News, by Eric Fetters)
4/17/96
Hwy 101 Proposal
"City opposition cited as reason for withdrawing. The County Board of Commissioners was scheduled on Tuesday to vote on a resolution stating a stance against a tribal casino in Florence. ... But the resolution was shelved as word of the tribes’ withdrawal reached the county commissioners. " (Siuslaw News, by Eric Fetters)
4/18/96
Whew! Florence residents can breathe easier now that the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw have decided against moving forward with a plan to build a casino. (Register Guard Editorial)
1/8/1997
Application for Fee-to-Trust Process - Hatch Property
"At this time, the site is being acquired for historic and cultural purposes and we envision that the land will become an important destination for tribal members wishing to remember history and Indian existence. The Hatch homestead still stands we believe that it will furnish a visitation opportunity for our members who have long lived in the area but had inadequate access to the cemetery and adjoining parcels."
(1/8/97, Letter from Gregory A. Norton, Chairman of the Tribal Council, Confederated Tribes to Bureau of Indian Affairs)
1997
Acquisition of Hatch Tract
"In a letter to the governor and Lane County, from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Siletz Agency, it was stated that the land is to be used for historic and cultural purposes ... “Confederated Tribes Tribal Chairman Greg Norton said the land ... was a significant part of the Indian cultural history , and stressed it would be used for cultural and historic purposes. He also said that no specific buildings have been planned for the site, and the land has not been identified for the purposes of a gaming casino or any other economic development." (Siuslaw News, by Cathy Layva)
1997
Acquisition of Hatch Tract
"A draft of a board order from Lane County Counsel Teresa Wilson states that the county will support the land acquisition for “cultural and historic purposes.” However, because of inadequate information from the tribes, the proposed board order states, the county will not support economic development on the land. ... the governor's office confirmed that there would be a separate process if the land were to be used for a gaming casino." (Siuslaw News, by Craig Furuya)
2/7/97
Acquisition of Hatch Tract
"Whereas, the Confederated Tribes have indicated that the historical and cultural use is their intended purpose ..." (Lane County Commissioner Order No. 97-2-19-8, Response to BIA re: acquisition of Hatch Tract property)
3/23/98
Acquisition of Hatch Tract
"In support of that request, counsel for the Confederated Tribes wrote the Department's Solicitor, providing assurances that 'at no time relevant to the fee-to-trust conversion did the Confederated Tribes have any plans to introduce gaming under IGRA to the Hatch Tract'.” (Exhibit 00559, State of Oregon Memorandum in Support of Motion for Summary Judgment, page 7) ( U.S. Dept. of Interior Memorandum 10/19/99)
10/14/98
"On October 14, 1998, Congress amended the Restoration Act through a technical corrections bill. Pub. L. No. 105-256. This bill added a parcel of land known as the Peterman Tract to section 7. Id. Sec. 5. The Peterman Tract is a driveway which leads to an Indian cemetery." ( NIGC Denial - prohibition against gambling on land acquired after 10/17/1988)
3/3/99
Hatch Tract
"Although tribal representatives were unwilling to discuss the ‘destination resort’ in detail, they said the resort would tie in with the eco-tourism aspect of the area and could include a hotel, golf course, and retail stores. It would possibly tie in with a proposed casino in the Florence area, which the tribal representatives refused to comment on ..." (Siuslaw News, by Karen Vittek)
10/19/99
Hatch Tract
"Although it appears economic development on the Hatch Tract may have been mentioned during the administrative acquisition process, the Tribes' attorney stated in a letter to the Office of the Solicitor that at no time relevant to the trust acquisition did the Tribes have any plans to introduce gaming under IGRA on the Hatch Tract. Letter from Dennis Whittlesey, tribal attorney, to Stan Speaks, BIA, Portland Area Director (March 23, 1998)". ( U.S. Dept. of Interior Memorandum 10/19/99) ( NIGC Denial - prohibition against gambling on land acquired after 10/17/1988)
10/21/99
"The Solicitor opined that the acquisition of the Hatch Tract into trust was not part of "the restoration of lands for an Indian tribe that is restored to Federal recognition. The Solicitor also determined that the Tract was not 'contiguous to the boundaries of the reservation of the Indian tribe on October 17, 1988." ( NIGC Denial - prohibition against gambling on land acquired after 10/17/1988)
10/7/00
Hatch Tract
"In 1998, the tribe purchased the 100-acre site outside the Florence city limits ... The land was taken into trust for the tribe by the Bureau of Indian Affairs for nongaming purposes, but tribal leaders subsequently set out to get gaming approval." (Register-Guard, by Larry Bacon)
10/7/00
Hatch Tract
"Tribal administrator Francis Somday said plans have not been completed, but the tribe is looking at a ‘moderately sized’ project that would cost $15 million to $20 million and provide 500 to 750 full and part-time jobs." (Register-Guard, by Larry Bacon)
11/5/01
"Mr. Somday said ... that the 6.2 acres is the reservation in Empire, OR, and that the Tribe purchased a 98 acre tract on the north fork of the Siuslaw for economic development, and it is in trust by the U.S. Government. He said that the Tribe owns a small parcel in Curry County and it’s a tribal office center at 1245 Colton Ave, is 9.77 acres. He said they just recently acquired 18.8 acres in Charleston that will be used for Tribal housing, a small parcel in North Bend with 14 homes for low -income tribal families. (11/5/2001 Florence City Council Meeting Minutes)
12/5/01
After careful consideration, we conclude that the Hatch Tract falls within the requirements of Sec. 2719(b)(1)(B)(iii), the restored lands exception to the prohibition to gaming on lands acquired after October 17, 1988." ( NIGC Approval - gambling on land acquired after 10/17/1988)
6/13/03
Hatch Tract
"The tribes have always intended to pursue gaming on this tract of land that borders the town of Florence, Oregon." (Website - Confederated Tribes of The Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians, http://www.ctclusi.org - Special Projects)
7/25/03
Hatch Tract
"We were lied to. In a meeting with the Tribal leaders when they were interested in adding this land to their tribal status they told me to my face that the intent of the purchase was NOT to put a casino on this land. I asked them specifically because I led the fight to keep this casino out of Springfield. They lied. You have my permission to give this statement to anyone you want including the Tribe!!" (Lane County Commissioner Bill Dwyer correspondence 7/25/03)
7/30/03
Hatch Tract
She (Lane County Commissioner Morrison) commented she had been disappointed regarding the state, the city and the tribe regarding the confusion and the information that had been shared had not always been truthful or factual. ( 7/30/05 Lane County Commissioner Meeting )
8/2/03
Hatch Tract
"The tribes came to me and told me, if we didn't object to the inclusion of this land, that it was not intended to be used for gaming," he said. "What can I say? They looked me right in the eye and told me that. So I think that I was either misled or lied to, or you can say whatever connotations you want." (Siuslaw News, by Karen Vittek 8/2/03 - Comment by Lane County Commissioner Bill Dwyer)
05/23/05
Hatch Tract
"Another option is to sell the (county-owned) land to the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians ... But given the history of how the property beneath Three Rivers Casino was taken into trust - some have claimed that the tribes misled the community about their intent for the land - commissioners don't appear warm to that idea." (5/23/05, Register-Guard, by Winston Ross, Drawing Lines in the Sand)
08/27/07
Hatch Tract
"The tribe had attempted to get approval to build at the site of the former Windward Inn on Highway 101 in Florence, but community opposition helped kill the project. By the time Garcia joined the council, the tribe was focusing on a 100-acre parcel of property donated by a tribal member and known as the Hatch Tract." ( 8/27/07, Register-Guard)
03/01/08
First suicide at Florence casino
Oregon man takes his own life at casino - The morning of Feb. 29, Steven L. Martin, 58, of Westlake, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the Three Rivers Casino and Hotel parking lot on Highway 126 in Florence. (3/1/08, The Siuslaw News)
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