The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde announced they sell the 31-acre former Multnomah Greyhound Park near Portland, Oregon, which they bought in 2015. Tribal officials never expressed whether they would build a casino there, although the project’s name, Spirit Mountain at Wood Village, referred to its Spirit Mountain Casino in Grand Ronde.
Tribal Vice Chairman Chris Mercier said, “The opportunities for this site are truly remarkable. However, they are not the best fit for the Grand Ronde Tribe at this time.” The tribe had invested a significant amount preparing it for development.
At the time of the purchase, the Cowlitz Tribe was preparing to open a casino just over the border in Washington state and ultimately opened the Ilani gaming facility in April 2017 after Grand Ronde and other opponents lost lawsuits trying to stop it.
Grand Ronde Chairman Reyn Leno said, “Competition is good. I think it helps us sharpen our pencil and I think it helps us work harder to do what our customers want us to do as opposed to just thinking we are the only game in town. I think, basically, we’ve done that.”
