Recognizing the reality that its fight against the Ilani Casino and Resort is probably lost given the likelihood that it will open in April, the Clark County, Washington, council has ordered legal staff to revise resolutions that oppose the facility and instructed staff to begin speaking with the Cowlitz tribe.
The tribe, in conjunction with the Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut, is building a $510 million project.
The county has steadfastly fought the casino, arguing that it would strain county resources in dealing with housing, the environment, social services and roads. It joined legal efforts to try to stop the casino and went so far as to threaten to arrest construction workers who were installing a storm water line for the tribe on a county road.
At last week’s council meeting, Councilor Julie Olson advocated a different approach. She suggested revising the resolution that forbade county officials from contact with the tribe. “I don’t know that there is a reason to keep this first resolution in place,” she said.
Deputy County Manager Bob Stevens told the council that the tribe was trying to cooperate with the County to the extent of using the county fairgrounds for a jobs fair and proposing holding training there.
One councilor, Jeanne Stewart, objected to the détente proposal. She declared: “I don’t think we’ve reached the end of our negotiations with them on the issues related to the sewage system and the aquifer” She fears that the casino project could threaten the county’s only source of drinking water.
