PARIS ACHEN/CAPITAL BUREAU - The Debbs Potts Oregon State Lottery Commission Building in Salem, Oregon

SALEM — The three-month-old ilani Casino Resort 16 miles north of the Oregon-Washington border has slowed but failed to stop growth in Oregon State Lottery sales.

“It is a slow move downward at this point,” said Spencer Haley, a lottery senior research analyst.

Since the new casino opened April 24, state lottery revenues are up 2.6 percent, or nearly $2.7 million, from this time last year.

State economists had projected ilani would drain Oregon lottery revenue by 12 percent in the next two years. That would represent a $220 million loss in gross receipts and $142 million decline in net profits sent to state coffers.

It’s still too early to know whether state lottery revenue will continue to grow in the face of the nearby competition. Lottery analysts said they need at least one year and up to two years of data to observe the impact of the new casino in Ridgefield, Washington.

“That is encouraging that revenue is not falling as severely as originally predicted, but it’s still too early to know whether it’s going to be a sustained trend or just the three months,” said Oregon Lottery Director Barry Pack.

The new casino, however, has disrupted lottery sales on Hayden Island, where revenue is down 14 percent. Hayden Island’s 19 lottery retailers are still a draw for Washington residents, but now they appear to be sharing that customer base with ilani.

Revenue growth has declined in places near the Washington state line, including Multnomah County by 3 percent, Rainier by 6 percent and the Sandy Boulevard/Interstate 205/Interstate 84 area by 6 percent and Interstate 84 East by 3 percent.

Officials from ilani were unavailable for comment by presstime Friday, July 28.

Paris Achen

Portland Tribune Capital Bureau

503-385-4899

email: pachen@portlandtribune.com

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