At what point is it prudent to stop fighting the good fight? At what point is it necessary to acknowledge the future and work for the benefit of the community, admitting to the age-old axiom that if you can’t beat them, you should join them?
Those are the questions facing opponents of the Ilani Casino Resort that is being constructed by the Cowlitz Tribe near La Center. Those are the questions that linger after some 15 years of contentious debate over the tribe’s efforts to establish a recognized reservation in the area and build a casino upon the land.
Most recently, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia upheld a lower court ruling in favor of the Cowlitz and the tribe’s right to claim a reservation in the area. With that ruling, it is time for critics to take a big-picture view of the issue and work to ensure that the casino is as beneficial as possible for the region.
The list of opponents includes the Editorial Board of The Columbian, which long has argued that the casino would have a negative impact on the community. The concerns focus upon increased traffic throughout the region and the manner in which a mega-casino will impact the small communities of north Clark County. Those concerns remain, yet the time has come to turn efforts toward mitigating those negatives rather than futilely pretending they can be stopped. As project founder Dave Barnett said during a meeting with the Editorial Board, “Let’s have some meaningful dialogue.”
The fact is that intransigence and opposition can become self-defeating. Extremism can, indeed, become a vice; moderation can, indeed, be a virtue. And while critics maintain valid reasons for opposing the casino, they also must keep in mind that the primary goal should be to create the best possible future for all Clark County residents.
The city of Vancouver has recognized that, with the city council voting this summer to end its opposition to the facility. “We feel it will be a new beginning, turning a page on a history that maybe we’d rather not look back at,” Cowlitz Tribe Chairman Bill Iyall said at the time. A few weeks later, the Clark County council voted to reopen dialogue with the tribe, recognizing that taking a seat at the table and providing some input is preferable to dining alone and grousing to yourself.
Such reconciliation might still seem premature to some; after all, there is a possibility that the issue could be appealed and wind up in the U.S. Supreme Court. But recognizing that the Cowlitz Tribe has prevailed in previous court decisions, it is prudent for opponents to choose their battles wisely and turn their attention to more relevant issues: How safe is the proposal for a system that will inject treated wastewater into the ground near the region’s drinking water supply? Can increased traffic to and from Portland serve as an impetus for construction of a new Interstate 5 Bridge? How are tribal officials addressing concerns about housing, transportation, and an expected increase in demand for social services? What are the benefits to local residents, and how can those be maximized?
Acknowledging the likelihood that the Ilani Casino Resort will soon become the most popular visitor destination in Clark County does not mean that the facility suddenly has transformed into a trouble-free boon for the region. It simply means that if the resort is going to be here, citizens should do all they can to ensure that the drawbacks are minimized and the positives are enhanced.
