Category: BLOG

Not all casinos are created equal. Commercial casinos exist to generate a profit for shareholders and owners. Tribal casinos exist for an entirely different purpose – to promote tribal self-determination and fuel economic development to provide government revenues for the tribal community.

In 1988, the U.S. Congress enacted the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), which established a legal framework to encourage tribal economic self-sufficiency in light of declining federal support for tribes and to regulate the conduct of gaming on Indian lands. The purpose of IGRA is to provide a statutory basis for the operation of gaming by Indian Tribes as a means of promoting tribal economic development, self-sufficiency, and strong tribal governments.

Within this highly regulated federal framework, the Confederated Tribes of Indians (Siletz Tribe) has proposed the Salem casino project.

The net revenue from a tribal casino authorized under IGRA are restricted in use to five specific purposes:

To fund tribal government operations and programs;

To support the general welfare of the Indian Tribe and its members;

To promote tribal economic development;

To donate to charitable organizations; and

To help fund the operations of local government agencies.

The Siletz Tribe provides services to tribal members within an 11-county service area in Oregon because federal termination of the Tribe in the 1950s disposed of all tribal lands and scattered tribal members and families throughout western Oregon.

These include educational services, social services, health care, employment services, childcare, tribal language and cultural services, and many others. Unfortunately, the demand for these critical services regularly exceeds available tribal government funding. As a result, the Siletz Tribe is often forced to implement program priorities, establish waitlists, and in some cases, enforce geographic restrictions on services.

According to the 2022 Chronic Social and Economic Needs of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, the total unmet need across tribal programs is almost $250 million. The Siletz Casino Project is expected to generate $231 million in annual gross revenue in its first year, from which operating costs must first be deducted. With the net revenue from the Salem casino project, the Tribe will be able to address many of its unmet needs. This revenue will also reduce the Siletz Tribe’s reliance on future federal funding, which is always under congressional pressure to be reduced.

The Siletz Casino Project includes a unique revenue-sharing proposal. The Siletz Tribe plans to share a percentage of the net revenue with eligible participating Oregon tribes, many of whom are located in rural areas. The State of Oregon and local governments like the City of Salem will also receive a percentage of the net revenue, which will be reinvested into community improvements and programs.

In addition to benefitting Oregon’s tribal communities, project plans include significant infrastructure modernizations to the roads, public transportation, services, and water systems surrounding the North Salem property, as well as construction of workforce housing units in the area. Serving as an anchor development, the property will also drive additional economic investment in North Salem.

The project is a unique opportunity to invest in the local Salem community, and local small businesses will play a significant role. During the two-year construction phase, the project will generate about 2,300 jobs and $141 million in wages, stimulate $492 million in economic impact and produce $54 million in indirect purchases or spending through supply chains in the local economy.

The Siletz Casino Project is more than a casino. It’s an opportunity to promote self-determination, increase access to critical services and uplift tribal communities across Oregon.

April 13, 2023 —

Dee Pigsley, Tribal Council Chairman, The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians issued the following statement:

“The Siletz Casino Project is a unique initiative to build Oregon’s first gaming facility that will directly share revenue with other Oregon Tribes, the State of Oregon and local governments. The revenue from this project promotes self-determination and healing for all of Oregon’s federally recognized tribes.

It is shocking to us that Governor Kotek would oppose economic development projects in Oregon while cities, counties and tribes around the state prepare for an economic downturn.

Blanket opposition to any changes in tribal gaming only perpetuates generations of inequities caused by tribal dependence on state and federal government for resources. The state should carefully consider proposals to expand gaming on a case-by-case basis weighing the impacts and benefits to tribal communities.

We are awaiting approval from the Secretary of the Interior on the Siletz Casino Project and intend to continue with the process of approving tribal gaming venues outlined in federal law.

There is too much at stake to give up now. Siletz Tribal members and Salem residents strongly support the casino project and the benefits it will have on our communities.

We hope the Governor will negotiate with the Siletz Tribe in good faith as federal law requires.”

Background:

Tribal gaming proposals, like the Siletz Casino Project,  the most significant tool available to promote tribal self-sufficiency, self-determination and economic development for all federally recognized tribes.

The unchecked expansion of the Oregon lottery over the past decades has resulted in a dramatic reduction of Oregon Tribes’ share of gaming revenues. Economic opportunity has been further reduced by the expansion of gaming in Southwest Washington.

The Siletz Casino Project would begin to right size Oregon Tribes’ share of gaming revenue in Oregon. The Siletz Tribe’s economic projections show that it expects to create 1,200 new living wage jobs and generate $185 million in annual revenue in the first year of operation, growing to $231 million by the third year.

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About the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians

The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians is a confederation of all the tribes of western Oregon. In the 1800s, Siletz ancestors were removed from their homelands and moved to the Siletz Reservation on the coast. Its tribal headquarters is located in Siletz, Oregon and the Tribe has operated government offices in Salem, Portland, Eugene, Lincoln City and Siletz for over 40 years. To find out more about the project, visit www.siletz.org.

 

Earlier this year, the Siletz Tribe of Indians received the People’s Choice Award from the Philomath Area Chamber of Commerce. The award recognizes the positive impact of grants from the Siletz Tribal Charitable Contribution Fund (STCCF) and other support for the local community.

The STCCF supported 112 nonprofit groups across Oregon with grants totaling over $800,000. The grants are designed to uplift community initiatives within the Siletz Tribe’s 11-County Service Area in Oregon.  Grants are given to Native American organizations and initiatives located anywhere in the United States in areas including

– Education

-– Health and public safety

-– Addiction prevention and treatment

-– Housing

-– Arts

-– Environment and natural resource preservation

-– Cultural activities, historic preservation, and other charitable purposes.

Last year’s grant recipients included the Salem Arts Association, the Native American Youth & Family Center, the Native American Rights Fund, South Lane Mental Health, Siletz Valley Fire District, and dozens of others.

Established in 2001, The Siletz Tribal Charitable Contribution Fund is administered by seven advisory members dedicated to eliminating community barriers through grant funding to philanthropic organizations and local governments within the Siletz Tribe’s service area. Since its creation, the charitable advisory board has distributed more than $16.4 million. It continues to make fundamental contributions through employment, monetary donations and cooperative measures to the Siletz community, Lincoln County, and Oregon.

To kickstart 2023, the Siletz Tribal Charitable Contribution Fund has already donated $131,000 to local organizations involved in health, education, historic preservation, arts, and more. If you’re interested in learning more about the fund and how Siletz Tribe continues to support the community, visit https://www.ctsi.nsn.us/charitable-contribution-fund/ and applications be submitted via e-mail at stccf@live.com

 

2022 was a big year for the Siletz Casino Project. In January 2022, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) held a virtual public hearing on the Environmental Assessment for the Project and received written public comments through April 2022. The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians’ Section 20 Application outlines the chronic social and economic challenges of the Tribe and how the Siletz Casino Project can help address these challenges. The application is now under review by the Department of the Interior.

To best illustrate some of these challenges, it’s important to understand the history of the Siletz Tribe and the impact of adverse federal Indian policies applied to the Tribe and its members. For context, here is a short historical recap:

• The federal government unilaterally removed two-thirds of the original Siletz Reservation by Executive Order in 1865 and statute in 1875. That reservation land was taken without tribal consent or just compensation. In 1954, the federal government enacted the Western Oregon Indians Termination Act, which ended the federal relationship with the Siletz Tribe and its status as a federally recognized Indian Tribe. As a result, the Tribe was stripped of its remaining 25,000 acres of tribal land. Termination devastated the Siletz tribal membership and many families moved away from the Coast Reservation area.
• In 1977, the Siletz Tribe was restored to federally recognized status. However, as part of restoration, Oregon officials demanded that the Siletz Tribe severely limit its treaty hunting, fishing, trapping and gathering rights.
• In the last two years, Oregon officials, including former Governor Kate Brown and the current Director of ODFW, Curt Melcher, acknowledged that the State’s position during the late 1970s to limit the Tribe’s treaty hunting, fishing, trapping and gathering rights was unconscionable. Jointly, the two state parties have been working with the Tribe to rightfully restore the rights for the Siletz Tribe and its members.

Gaming in Oregon

The Oregon Legislature created the Joint Committee on Gambling Regulations to review casino and lottery regulations in Oregon. As part of their work, the committee reviewed and heard public testimony on a number of gaming-related issues including what some refer to as the “One Tribe, One Casino Policy.”

The committee co-chairs, Senator Sarah Gelser Blouin and Representative John Lively noted they could find no evidence that any “One Tribe, One Casino Policy” by the State of Oregon has been formally adopted or exists in any written form.

The co-chairs further acknowledge that among tribal communities, gambling revenue is a critical part of the economy.

For years, Oregon’s state-run lottery has rapidly expanded while tribal gaming has not. This has resulted in a decline of the Tribes’ overall share of gaming revenue in Oregon. The Siletz Casino Project creates an unprecedented revenue-sharing agreement with state and local governments, as well as every participating Tribe. In fact, 50 percent of net revenue from the casino will be shared with Oregon’s eight other federally recognized Tribes.

Approving the Siletz Casino Project is a necessary step to restoring the balance between state-run and tribal gaming.

So, how can you support the project?

Sign the petition – Over 3,100 people have signed the petition supporting the development of the Siletz Casino Project! If you haven’t already, please sign the petition. And please encourage your friends and family to sign it too!

Sign up for important updates – Sign up to receive important updates about the project and learn more opportunities to support the Siletz Casino Project!

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Currently the Confederated Tribe of the Siletz Indians has $248 million in unmet needs in tribal programs, including approximately $207.5 million in capital need and $40.5 million in annual need. We intend to use gaming income from the proposed Salem casino to provide much needed programs for our Tribal members including supporting tribal elders, establishing a full-service tribal law enforcement agency and creating a natural resources division along with strengthening several current tribal programs.

We expect the casino to generate $185 million in annual revenue in the first year of operation, growing to $231 million by the third year. 25 percent of this revenue will be reinvested into community improvements and programs for Siletz tribal members. Eventually, we hope revenue from the proposed casino project will reduce the Tribe’s reliance on federal grant money to further strengthen its self-governance.

As we move towards federal and state approval of our second entertainment property, we hope the community will consider the hardships faced by our Tribal members due to adverse federal Indian policies. The revenue from this project will not only support local communities but will improve the lives of our tribal membership as well.

Impacts of Adverse Federal Indian Policies
The unmet needs of the Tribe can be explained by the history of the Siletz Tribe and the adverse federal Indian policies applied to the Tribe and its members. Two thirds of the original Siletz Reservation was unilaterally removed by the federal government by Executive Order in 1865 and statute in 1875. The reservation land was taken without just compensation and tribal consent. In 1954, the Siletz Tribe was terminated of its status as an Indian tribe by the Western Oregon Indians Termination Act, and as result the Tribe was stripped of its remaining 25,000 acres of tribal land. Termination devastated tribal membership and many families moved away from the Coast Reservation area.

Although the termination did not address the Tribe’s treaty-reserved hunting, fishing, trapping and gathering rights, after termination occurred in 1954, the State of Oregon began enforcing its fish and wildlife laws against Siletz tribal members. Without resources to litigate the continued existence of their treaty rights, the small group of Siletz tribal members remaining after termination focused on having Siletz Tribe’s status as a federally recognized Indian tribe restored. The Siletz Tribe was the second tribe in the nation to be restored to federally recognized status in 1977.

Supporting Tribal Elders
Tribal elders suffered the most devastating impacts from termination of the Siletz Tribe, separated from their community and culture, and displaced to other areas of Oregon as tribal lands were sold off. The disruption has caused increased levels of medical, social and emotional trauma for elders as a result of termination. We intent to allocate funds from the Salem casino project to fund the Tribal Elder Program.

Effective Law Enforcement
We do not currently have a law enforcement department, meaning the Tribe must contract with nearby non-Indian governments to provide limited law enforcement coverage for tribal lands. With its current level of funding, we are unable to establish and maintain an effective law enforcement department to meet the needs of our communities. Establishment of the proposed Salem casino will allow the Siletz Tribe to establish and maintain a full-service tribal law enforcement agency.

Managing Natural Resources
Siletz hunting and fishing rights became an issue during restoration as the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) was adamantly opposed to Siletz Restoration unless the Siletz Tribe agreed to extinguishment of all of its hunting and fishing rights. This imposed additional trauma on the Tribe and its members while the Tribe was moving forward to mitigate the trauma of termination. With the choice of establishing a reservation or keeping their hunting, fishing, trapping and gathering rights, the Siletz Tribe chose to move forward with establishing their reservation and was forced to agree to the terms that imposed severe limitation on the Tribe’s exercise of its hunting, fishing, trapping and gathering rights.

In the last two years State of Oregon officials, including Governor Kate Brown and the current Director of ODFW, Curt Melcher, have acknowledged the State’s position during the late 1970s to limit the Tribe’s treaty hunting, fishing, trapping and gathering rights was unconscionable. Jointly, the two parties have been working with the Tribe to rectify the harmful effects of the termination that continue to adversely affect the Tribe and its members.

With the current negotiations in process with the Oregon Governor and the Director of ODFW, the Agreement will allow the Siletz Tribe to exercise its treaty-reserved hunting, fishing, trapping and gathering rights for the first time since 1954. The agreement is set to be finalized by the end of this year and once it is in place, we will need to establish a much larger Natural Resources Department with staff to regulate and manage the increased fish and wildlife harvest and related natural resources activities.

Additional Support
Other service areas that the casino project funds will go towards for tribal members include education, social services, health care, substance abuse intervention and prevention, employment and training, tribal language and cultural preservation, housing, natural resources planning and management, environmental protection, public safety, emergency preparedness, public utilities and transportation planning and infrastructure.

The Siletz Tribal Charitable Contribution Fund has distributed $475,876.10 to 44 organizations as it continues its quarterly donations to nonprofit groups. We are proud to uplift our local community and are excited to continue sharing contributions throughout the year.

The Siletz Tribe has made contributions through employment, monetary donations and cooperative measures to the Siletz community, Lincoln County and the state of Oregon. The seven-member charitable fund advisory board has distributed more than $16.1 million since its inception in 2001. Overall, the Tribe has honored its tradition of sharing within the community by distributing more than $20.5 million through the charitable fund and other Tribal resources.

To download the official press release from the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, click here.

The Siletz Tribal Charitable Contribution Fund has distributed $149,050 in the second quarter of 2022 to 37 organizations as it continues its quarterly donations to nonprofit groups. We are proud to uplift our local community and are excited to continue sharing contributions throughout the year.

The Siletz Tribe has made contributions through employment, monetary donations and cooperative measures to the Siletz community, Lincoln County and the state of Oregon. The seven-member charitable fund advisory board has distributed more than $15.6 million since its inception in 2001.

To download the official press release from the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, click here.

April 10, 2022 — Today marks the 167th anniversary since the Kalapuya Treaty of 1855 was officially proclaimed. To learn more about how the treaty impacts the rich history of the tribe and connects us to the Salem area, read a letter from Cultural Resources Director, Robert Kentta, below:

My name is Robert Kentta and I am an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon. I live in Siletz, Oregon. I am a member of the Siletz Tribal Council and serve as Treasurer. I am also employed by the Siletz Tribe as the Siletz Tribe’s Cultural Resources Director.

The Siletz Indian Reservation was conceived — in line with federal policy at the time — as the reservation for all of the tribes and bands of Indians in western Oregon. The Siletz Indian Reservation was first set aside on a preliminary basis on April 17, 1855, by then Oregon Indian Affairs Superintendent Joel Palmer and later confirmed by the Department of the Interior, for the Coast, Willamette and Umpqua Tribes of Indians. Three days later, it also became federal policy to remove the Rogue Valley Tribes and Bands from the Table Rock temporary Reservation, and also to place them upon the Siletz Coast Reservation as their permanent home. The Siletz Coast Reservation was to be the single Indian Reservation to house Western Oregon Indians (and included Tribes and individuals removed from a bit beyond western Oregon).

The November 9, 1855 Executive Order by President Franklin Pierce that created our Siletz Reservation specifically stated that it was for the Coast, Willamette and Umpqua Tribes. When it was debated in Washington D.C. as to whether the President or Congress should act on the request to establish the Siletz Reservation, it was stated that the treaties already ratified with Tribes in Western Oregon “amply clothe the President” with the power to establish the permanent resident asked for. As stated, three days after the Executive Order was signed, the federal government approved federal policy to remove the Rogue Valley and other nearby tribes and bands to the Siletz Reservation, thereby adding additional ratified treaty Tribes to those to be confederated on the Siletz Reservation. The federal government then, through ratified treaty stipulations as well as unratified treaties and as a matter of Interior policy, “confederated” all of the various tribes and bands into one “Tribe” recognized by the federal government as the tribal government on the Siletz Reservation. The Interior Department started referring to this consolidated tribal entity as early as 1857 as the Confederated Siletz Tribe.

Today there are many families of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians who are of Kalapuya, Mollala, and Chinookan ancestry and whose ancestors signed the Willamette Valley and Kalapuya Etc. Treaty of 1855. The Siletz Tribe includes Kalapuya and other Willamette Valley Tribe blood quantum in its definition of “Siletz” blood and includes that blood quantum in determining a person’s eligibility to be a Siletz enrolled member. The Salem area is also the Siletz Tribe’s treaty-ceded territory.

The Confederated Tribe of Siletz Indians has well over 1,000 members who are descended from Kalapuya, Mollala, and Chinookan peoples who belong under the Willamette/Kalapuya, Etc. Treaty of 1855.

In 1992, Secretary of the Interior Manual Lujan issued his favorable determination on the Siletz Tribe’s Section 20 Application for the exact 20-acre parcel of land the casino project will be built on. That approval by the Secretary also included acknowledgment of the Siletz Tribe’s historical and legal ties to the Salem area. This 20-acre parcel of land went into trust for the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians in 2000 for economic development purposes — further acknowledgment of the Siletz Tribe’s historical and legal ties to the Salem area.

The Siletz Tribe has a long and storied history in the Willamette Valley and Salem area and we celebrate the historical milestones that connect us to this land.

February 15, 2022 – Since 1995, we have served our Tribal members and Oregon communities with revenue from our property in Lincoln City – Chinook Winds. Over the past twenty-five years we have taken pride in being a good neighbor and creating a deep relationship with the Lincoln City community. We’d like to thank this community for their outpouring of support as we are now taking these best practices and expanding our footprint to Salem.

In a recent letter, the Lincoln County Commissioners shared their support for our plans to open a second entertainment property. They said, “We are grateful for the support, resources and collaborative nature the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians provide to the regional community.”

The commissioners commended us for our “tradition of sharing” by distributing more than $19.7 million through the charitable fund and other Tribal resources. Chinook Winds has donated more than $6.5 million in cash and fundraising items to Lincoln County-based community groups specifically over the last two decades. The casino also provides in-kind donations of convention space for fundraisers as well as technical support, advertising and manpower for many events in the county.

Chinook Wind’s efforts to support the community in times of need such as providing a safe haven during the devastating Echo Mountain wildfire and recent power outages were praised by the commissioners. They also noted, “Throughout COVID Chinook Winds has been a community leader in COVID safety practices such as shutting down immediately when the pandemic first struck our nation and requiring safety measures such as masks, temperature checking and vaccination for their staff.”

The Lincoln County School District also shared their support for our plans to expand in Oregon. In a recent letter, the Superintendent of Schools said, “The Lincoln County School District is grateful for the continued support of the Confederated Tribe of Siletz Indians and their commitment to us and our community.”

The commissioner noted, “In November they provided an outstanding 300 meals to the students of North Lincoln County. They provide donations to many of the non-profit groups within our county that have a direct impact on the student in our district. When a need arises, the Confederated Tribe of Siletz Indians is a partner we can count on.”

John Iwamura, one of the top relators in Lincoln County, also expressed his support of our new project. He cites Chinook Wind’s positive impact on the community and real estate values.

Mr. Iwamura has worked with many clients who have purchased homes in Lincoln City specifically to be close to Chinook Winds because of the vast entertainment options we offer. In fact, he notes that prospective buyers “ask to buy as close to the casino as possible” and that “areas adjacent to the casino have some of the highest price per square feet and our casino is one of the positive attributes for this reason.”

Mr. Iwamura also praised Chinook Winds for managing important natural resources including forests, local wildlife, the fishing hatchery, locally grown oysters in the Yaquina Bay and protecting indigenous animals.

Finally, Lieutenant Jeffery Winn of the Lincoln City Police Department shared his praises for our cooperative partnership saying “In the twenty-seven years of a cohesive collaboration, the Lincoln City Police Department and the Chinook Winds Casino Security Department have fostered and developed a positive working relationship. The Chinook Winds Casino Security Department has developed a professional team and our department has been able to count on their informative and dependable team members.”

To download the letter from the Lincoln County Commissioners, click here. 

To download the letter from the Lincoln County School District, click here. 

To download the letter from the Lincoln County Police Department, click here.

To download the letter from John Iwamura of JKI Realty, click here. 

January 10, 2022 – Today the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians announced its plan to invest millions in road improvements surrounding the proposed Siletz Casino Project site in North Salem once it is approved. The improvements are intended to support additional traffic flow expected from the Siletz Casino Project, slated to be built on the Tribes’ trust property located off Interstate 5, near exit 258.

Proposed improvements include extending existing lanes, adding new lanes or installing new traffic lights at five key intersections. The Tribe has committed to cover the percentage of the costs these road improvements that professional studies show will be associated with the new casino. To maximize these investments, the Tribe has discussed pairing construction with further improvements planned by the Oregon Department of Transportation in the same area. The Tribe has also expressed its willingness to incorporate bus and light rail stops at the project site to increase public transportation accessibility.

The plan is informed by a detailed traffic study that examined 20 intersections surrounding the proposed Siletz Casino Project site. The traffic study was conducted by Kittelson and Associates, an Oregon-based civil engineering firm, in coordination with staff from the City of Salem, City of Keizer, Oregon Department of Transportation and Marion County. The study examined existing transportation systems including volumes from transit, bicycle and pedestrian traffic in the project area.

As part of project construction, the Tribe will complete the traffic mitigation measures identified below or make an in-lieu fair share contribution equivalent to the cost of the mitigation measures identified to fund completion. The mitigation measures include:

• Chemawa Road NE/I-5 Southbound Ramps: Implement the existing striped second eastbound right-turn lane and construct a second on-ramp receiving lane.
• Chemawa Road NE/I-5 Northbound Ramps: Construct a westbound right-turn lane with 150 feet of storage.
• OR-99E/Chemawa Road NE-Hazelgreen Road NE: Extend the existing eastbound right-turn lane to provide 300 feet of storage.
• OR-99E/Kale Street NE: Construct a northbound right-turn lane with 150 feet of storage.
• OR-99E/Lancaster Drive NE: Install a traffic signal.
• OR-99E/Astoria Street NE-Ward Drive NE: Construct a southbound right-turn lane with 150 feet of storage and extend the existing northbound left-turn lane to provide 575 feet of storage.

The proposed road improvements are one component addressed in the Siletz Casino Project’s full Environmental Assessment (EA) released by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The EA assesses the environmental impacts resulting from the development of a gaming facility and hotel by the Siletz Tribe on federal land that has been held in trust for the Tribe since 2000.

The EA identifies potential impacts and includes measures that will be used to address and mitigate any identified impacts. For more information about the EA, visit: https://siletz.org/siletz-casino-project-one-step-closer-to-federal-approval/