Oregon’s city of Medford has written to the Bureau of Indian Affairs criticizing a draft environmental impact study (DEIS) for the Coquille Tribe’s proposed Cedars at Bear Creek casino near Medford.
The city charges that the study does not adequately address issues such as crime, transportation, economic impacts or look at alternate locations for a casino. It also claims that the casino will open the floodgates to more tribal gaming in the state.
According to the letter: “Establishing this precedent would make it more likely that the tribe and other similarly situated tribes will pursue such developments in the future.”
The tribe proposes an off-reservation casino that would convert a now defunct bowling alley and former restaurant into a casino with slot machines.
Tribal Chairman Brenda Meade commented, “Proliferation of gaming is not an easy thing. Every tribe is different.”
The tribe proposes to address the possible increased crime that a casino would encourage by paying the city for increased police and emergency services. The city says the study ought to instead look at why crime and emergency calls would increase.
The letter also scores the study low for looking at economic impacts: “The DEIS also fails to give any estimate of the possible range of increases in societal problems that may result from the proposed casino, including divorce, suicide, crime, prostitution, bankruptcy and demand for social services.”
