The Cowlitz Indian Tribe announced Tuesday that it will end its six-year relationship with the Connecticut-based Mohegan Tribe, which oversees operations of its ilani casino in Ridgefield, Washington State.
Patty Kinswa-Gaiser, Chairwoman of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, said: “After careful consideration, the Cowlitz Tribal Gaming Authority has recommended, and the Cowlitz Tribal Council has approved, a decision to begin a multi-step process of transitioning ilani from an enterprise managed by the Mohegan Tribe to a self-managed enterprise.”
In the statement, Kinswa-Gaiser said the timing of the announcement “provides ample notice for (the Cowlitz Tribe Gaming Authority) to begin a deliberate, professional and multi-step process, evolving ilani from its current fully-managed state to one where it is assisted with management and, ultimately, to independent self-management.”
Patty Kinswa-Gaiser, Chairwoman of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe
The chairwoman explained that the decision to move toward self-management was a natural evolution for the tribe and was similar to decisions made by other Northwest tribes.
The Cowlitz Tribal Council announced last month that it was considering separating from the Mohegan Tribe at the end of its seven-year contract in June 2024, a move that surprised many of the tribe’s members.
According to Kinswa-Gaiser, operations at ilani will not change. The Director said that the Mohegan Tribe has committed to continuing to provide its management service for the next 15 months.
“We are forever grateful for the remarkable success and benefits this partnership has brought our tribal members in the Cowlitz community since ilani opened its doors in 2017,” Kinswa-Gaiser said in the statement.
