Backers of non-Indian casino in Oregon ending their campaign

The backers of a non-Indian casino in Oregon are ending their campaign after acknowledging the project would fail at the polls in November.

“Despite the enthusiasm that has greeted us as we literally made our way across Oregon, in the last few weeks it appears to the campaign team that not enough Oregon voters are ready to add a private casino to the state's gaming options,” The Grange Casino said in a statement on its website.

The backers of the casino raised $7 million for the Measures 82 and 83, which will remain on the ballot. The Salem Statesman-Journal said it was the costliest campaign this year.

The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe led a campaign to defeat the casino. They spent over $700,000 on the It's Still A Bad Idea Committee.

Get the Story:
Oregon private casino proponents drop campaign (AP 10/17)
Casino’s backers fold their hand (The Eugene Register-Guard 10/17)
Casino backers abandon campaign in support of Measures 82 and 83 (The Salem Statesman Journal 10/17)
Casino backers suspend campaign (The Portland Tribune 10/16)
Oregon casino backers drop campaign as cards come up empty (The Oregonian 10/16)
Portland casino proponents suspend campaign (The McMinnville News-Register 10/16)

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Editorial: Expansion of non-Indian gaming bad bet for Oregon (10/11)

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