Citizens Against Reservation Shopping

Overview Timeline to date What the tribe is proposing Tribal rights Tribal casinos in Washington State Formal agreements made by the Cowlitz Tribe

What is "reservation shopping?" Congressional interest in the issue History/geography of the Cowlitz Tribe

Overview Impact on development Impact on employment Impact on traffic Impact on society

What this is/isn't about News releases and stories Library of documents Appearances

General information Federal decisions Local activity

Write a letter Call elected officials Invite CARS to speak Join CARS Support CARS

The “Cowlitz gambling syndicate”?

Many of CARS’ stories about this casino proposal describe it as the work of “the Cowlitz Tribe.” But every time we attribute it to “the tribe,” we wince.

The casino project is primarily the effort of a very few people, who work under the name of the Cowlitz Tribe. They include:
• David Barnett, son of tribal Chairman John Barnett
• the Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut
• Phil Harju, tribal council member and a Thurston County attorney
• the legal and PR teams

We have decided to call these people the Cowlitz gambling syndicate.*

CARS is critical of the casino proposal and the way it is being pursued. Beyond its involvement in the casino issue, we have no issue with the Cowlitz Tribe.

* A “syndicate” is “a group of individuals or organizations combined or making a joint effort to undertake some specific duty or carry out specific transactions or negotiations” (Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 12 Oct. 2007. <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/syndicate>).

<<Back to "What is reservation shopping?"

What's happened		Reservation shopping		Why you should care
What CARS is doing		What's coming		You can help
About us	Contact us	Join us	Newsroom	Site map	Home