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Cowlitz leaders describe tribal programs funded by gaming revenues, cite foundation grants and community support
Summary
Cowlitz presenters told the committee that gaming revenue supports education, elder programs, food distribution, public safety and regional health services; the tribe’s foundation has given more than $35 million since 2017 and the tribe gifted ambulances and emergency support to local responders.
Officials speaking for the Cowlitz tribe summarized how gaming revenue supports tribal and regional programs, including tuition assistance, elder services, food distribution, public-safety investments and charitable grants. The chair described long-term stewardship of lands and waterways and said tribal enterprises have enabled a range of community investments since federal recognition.
The Cowlitz speaker said the tribe’s foundation has contributed more than $35,000,000 to organizations in Clark County and across Washington since 2017, and that the foundation provided $1,600,000 to keep a local mental-health provider operating after it ran into financial difficulty. He also said the tribe gifted ambulances to Clark Fire and Rescue; those ambulances responded to critical incidents in 2025 and helped reduce response times in the service area. The presentation noted programs supporting education (about 2,180 tribal members have benefited from tuition assistance since 2018), food distribution (1,600 fish distributions this year) and elder support programs.
Cara Fox LaRose, identified during the hearing as president and general manager of the ALNA/Ilani resort, described the property footprint, recent hotel expansion and how higher wager limits informed the resort’s design and amenities. She also described responsible-gaming practices on the property and said the resort uses vetting and monitoring for higher-limit players.
