Oregon Public Broadcasting

The Oregon Court of Appeals has ruled that a community organization can challenge the governor’s approval of a casino in Florence. The ruling could have ramifications for tribal casinos throughout Oregon. KLCC’s Rachael McDonald reports.

People Against a Casino Town, or PACT, has been fighting the Three Rivers Casino since 2003 when the governor signed a compact giving the project the go-ahead.

PACT attorney Kelly Clark says the Appeals Court Ruling is important because now he can take their challenge back to trial court.

Kelly Clark: “PACT’s challenge to the casino compact is really simple. The Oregon Constitution when we set up the lottery back in the ‘80s contained a provision that said, we’ll do all the lottery business, but we’re not going to have any casinos in Oregon.”

The appeals court ruling could have implications for a proposed casino along the Columbia River Gorge as well as for the Three Rivers Casino in Florence. The state could appeal the court of appeals decision to the Oregon Supreme Court.