The former Multnomah Greyhound Park property located in Wood Village could become the site of a new casino. The area is being reassessed by the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde.

Tribes begin reassessment

The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde are currently reexamining the former Multnomah Greyhound Park property after the Siletz Tribe sent a proposal to build a casino in the North Salem region. The information related to the reassessment was released on October 4 during the General Council meeting.

Tribal Council Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy said, “For our Tribe to be prepared, we are looking at putting the Wood Village property into trust for the purposes of gaming.” The Tribe purchased the former racetrack in 2015 for $10 million. It was proposed twice as the possible site for private casinos in Oregon. Voters rejected the idea twice in 2010 and 2012.

The tribe had other plans for the property

In 2018, the tribe announced that it does not intend to develop the property. It wanted to put the property on the market hoping to make a profit after the grandstand and the outbuildings of the area are demolished. The tribe has already sold 4.6 acres of the property. The 31.5-acre region also includes undevelopable wetlands to the city of Wood Village for public park use. The tribe still owns about 26.5 acres as it was unable to get a buyer for the rest of the land.

The Siletz Tribe operates Lincoln City-based Chinook Winds. It filed an application with the Office of Indian Gaming with the Department of Interior on April 30, seeking to build a 180,800-square-foot casino located near downtown Salem. On July 10, the Grand Ronde Tribe took the property off the market. If the casino is built in East Multnomah County, it would be the closest casino property in the Portland-metro region.

The Grand Ronde Tribal Council and the Siletz Tribal Council have already held three teleconference meetings regarding the proposal. The two tribes are working on a plan that is mutually agreeable to both.