With new federal guidelines threatening off-reservation casino proposals, casino advocates publicly admit to the myth of a "40-mile" commuting distance but still need to check the accuracy of their odometers and maps that reveal a 218-mile daily commute for where most tribal members live to the proposed new casino

Portland -- In the Willamette Week newspaper today, Gorge casino lobbyist Len Bergstein was forced to admit that only birds could enjoy a 40-mile flying commute from a border of the Warm Springs Reservation to the proposed new off-reservation casino in Cascade Locks.  Bergstein, who for weeks has clung to the flimsy 40-mile figure, now admits the commute is at least twice that far -- 83 miles each way; 166 miles round-trip.

But casino advocate still need to check the accuracy of their odometers and State of Oregon road maps; both reveal that the daily round-trip driving commute from the town of Warm Springs, where most Warm Springs tribal members live, to the proposed new casino site in Cascade Locks is 218 miles -- a 2 to 3 hour daily commute depending on weather and road conditions. (see attached map)

The following is from today's Willamette Week newspaper:

"Another dispute: A key criterion for federal approval is whether an off-rez casino is within 'commuting distance.' Bergstein says it's 37 miles from the tip of the rez to the casino. True -- if you're a bird. Lang says it's a 109-mile drive each way from the town of Warm Springs, where most tribal members live, to the casino site. Bergstein says two shuttle stops will reduce those commutes to 83 and 69 miles, one way."

The federal government recently issued new guidelines that require new off-reservation casinos to be within a reasonable daily commuting distance of reservations in order to benefit the most tribal members.

"A 218 mile round-trip commute from where most tribal members live is unreasonable, unsafe and unnecessary when an on-reservation casino alternative is available," said Dan Lavey, a spokesman for a coalition of environmental, small business, tribal and pro-family organizations that oppose the Gorge casino. 

For a copy of the federal commuting-distance guideline memo and maps and more information about the long distance daily commute, visit the Issues section of www.nogorgecasino.com.