A bill proposing Oregon to license a private casino under the state’s lottery division and dividing a portion of the proceeds to school and government coffers will be on the November ballot, however the companion bill that would change the constitution to permit a non-Indian casino will not.
Under current state law only tribal casinos are permitted, however attorney Matthew Rossman and partner Bruce Studer have introduced both measures in an attempt to win the rights to develop a gaming facility at a former greyhound track in east Portland.
The amendment sponsors turned in petitions with more than 170,000 signatures supporting the casino, however after a random sample was verified, Secretary of State Kate Brown said that the drive did not have enough valid signatures to warrant the referendum.
Rossman said that there must be some kind of mistake with the findings as a significant amount more than required was submitted. Rossman said that he would challenge the findings, hoping that another sample would be verified thus putting the bill on the ballot.
As far as the companion bill that would allow the licensing of a casino banned by the state’s constitution, lawmakers would need a court order to remove it from the ballot.






