News Releases
Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 17, 2004
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136
Alt Contact:  Puyallup Tribe: 253-573-7828, Port of Tacoma: 253-383-9436

Gov. Gary Locke Signs Agreement with Puyallup Tribe to Support Major Economic Development at Port of Tacoma

OLYMPIA – Nov. 17, 2004 – Gov. Gary Locke has signed an agreement with the Puyallup Tribe to support major economic development at the Port of Tacoma. The agreement, signed by the governor Nov. 16, allows the tribe to move its Emerald Queen Casino to a new location to assist in the opening of the port’s new Pierce County Terminal – a project that will create thousands of new jobs in Pierce County.

The Pierce County Terminal is one of the largest economic development projects undertaken in the county in the last 20 years. The 171-acre mega-terminal – scheduled to open in January 2005 – created 1,800 construction jobs during the past two years and will generate an estimated 1,160 permanent port-industry jobs.

“This is truly a win-win,” Locke said. “It will create jobs, enable the port to expand and allow the tribe to maintain its revenue stream. Everyone benefits. I am proud of the partnership we established to make this happen.”

The tribe, the port and local governments in Pierce County requested Locke’s help earlier this year after the tribe and the port signed a cooperative economic development agreement, in which the tribe agreed to move casino operations and the port agreed to support the tribe’s relocation out of the port industrial area.

“We’re pleased that we were able to work with the state and the port in this effort,” said John Weymer, spokesman for the Puyallup Tribe. “This will help spur economic growth for the entire region.”

Clare Petrich, president of the Port of Tacoma Commission, said, “This signed agreement is great news for the Puyallup Tribe, the Port of Tacoma and the people of Pierce County. The governor’s signature opens the way for the creation of thousands of family-wage jobs for our region.”

The agreement signed by the governor and the tribe amends the gaming compact signed by the state and the Puyallup Tribe in 1996, in accordance with the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988. Federal law requires states to negotiate compacts with Indian tribes allowing them to conduct any kind of tribal gaming otherwise authorized by state law. Washington state’s existing compact with the Puyallup Tribe permits up to two casino locations on tribal land.

The new agreement between the state and the tribe amends that compact to allow the tribe to move its Emerald Queen Casino, which was impacted by the construction of the new Pierce County Terminal, to a new location on Interstate 5, pending federal approval of the tribe’s request to add the new location to its reservation. The agreement expires if the federal government has not approved the tribe’s request in six years. The agreement does not increase the number of gaming locations or electronic scratch ticket machines the tribe is allowed to operate.

U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, who serves as the ranking Democrat on the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, has worked this year to secure federal approval of the project and to introduce the legislation that will ultimately add the new land to the Puyallup Reservation. Dicks was also the architect of the Puyallup Land Claims Settlement Act of 1989.

“This opportunity to create thousands of new jobs at the Port of Tacoma is precisely the type of robust economic development that was envisioned by the state, the tribe, the port, local governments and the local business community in the settlement,” Dicks said. “The Puyallup Tribe has been a very constructive partner in all of the port’s expansion efforts since the settlement was reached, and the resulting cooperation has had a tremendously positive impact on the entire Tacoma-Pierce County community.”

Petrich says the port also continues to work with the Puyallup Tribe to assess the future of the East Blair Waterway, where a possible maritime terminal – or terminals – may encompass up to 350 acres on deep water. According to the port, a 350-acre mega-container terminal configuration is estimated to create more than 3,000 construction jobs during a two-year building period and create nearly 3,780 permanent maritime industry jobs.

Related Links:
- Port of Tacoma


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