By Chad Abraham 

Gov. Ted Kulongoski will decide whether voters in a city where a private casino is proposed can vote on the project.

The Oregon Senate on Thursday, June 14, voted to send legislation, drafted in response to a potential mega-casino in Wood Village, to the governor.

Senate Bill 1042 was sponsored by Sen. Laurie Monnes Anderson, D-Gresham, and fast-tracked through the legislative process. A proposed $500 million casino and entertainment complex could bring 1.1 million square feet of development to the former Multnomah Kennel Club.

Lake Oswego proponents Bruce Studer and Matt Rossman contend their project, which would require amending Oregon's constitution, would bring millions in tax revenue annually to local governments. Opponents counter that worries over impact on infrastructure, gambling and alcohol addiction and other concerns outweigh the benefits a casino might bring.

Studer and Rossman are expected to launch a signature-gathering drive soon for the more than 170,000 names needed to get their initiatives on the 2008 state ballot.