Economic Impact
Lost jobs – No Taxes – Reduced Public Services
The Coquille claim their proposed casino offers economic benefit, but if approved, the jobs created by the casino would devastate local businesses, take the property off the tax rolls, and result in only an economic benefit for the Coquille Tribe.
So while the Coquille claim the casino will create jobs, an independent study from 2016 concluded that Jackson County would only gain a net benefit of 11 total jobs. Meanwhile, the casino would hurt family-owned and regional businesses across Southern Oregon, and would devastate local restaurants that could not compete with an enormous casino, likely lodging and restaurants all financed by out-of-state interests.
Additionally while the commercial property is currently subject to local and county taxes, if taken into trust by the federal government the Coquille casino would be permanently exempted from county and city taxes. And if the 2.4 acres in the initial proposal is taken into trust, its just a matter of administrative action for the entire 45 acres secretly purchased by the Coquille to also be taken into trust. That means reduced revenue for schools, law enforcement, and other critical public services because 45 acres of tax-generating private property will be exempt from local taxation
