Viva Las Portland! That’s the slogan of a new PAC formed ostensibly to support the ballot measures that allow the construction of a non-Indian casino between Portland and Mount Hood.
The casino sponsors have been downplaying the whole casino aspect of the project, pitching the development as a family-friendly entertainment destination that embodies the “spirit” of Oregon. Last week, the anti-casino coalition launched their official campaign and the Viva Las Portland PAC launched their own Stand Up for Hope campaign:
As dedicated gamblers we know a thing or two about hope. Every time I go to the casino I see hope in an old man’s eyes as he cashes his Social Security check and slowly moves his walkers towards the blackjack table; I see it the single mom as she forgets about her mounting credit card bills and spends a blissful 14 hours playing the slots; and finally I see it in the bankruptcy attorney in the parking lot who worries that he won’t make partner unless he can round up a few more clients.
My friends with hope (and a few million dollars from our venture capitalist friends from Canada who are financing this private mega-casino), I know we can win!
Expect a rapid campaigning blitz from the pro-casino side soon, too. The casino-backers just paid Our Oregon $10,000 for access to the voter file they manage—which means they’ll likely start phonecalling likely voters on the issue en masse.
Balls Deep In Hope.
If they really want to embody the spirit of Oregon, they’ll ditch the family-friendly nonsense and put in a strip bar.