FACTS














Economic Impact

Census comparison

  

Some have said a casino is good for the economy of a town. It is hard to see how this has been the case for three casino towns in Oregon, all of whom have had casinos since 1995.

In 2000, Florence - without a casino - had a lower unemployment rate and fewer families living below the poverty level.

Since 1990, Florence - without a casino -
has consistently experienced higher population growth rates than any of the three Oregon casino towns surveyed.

ARE CASINOS GOOD FOR THE LOCAL ECONOMY?

We have received numerous requests for information which specifically related to Florence. Our community is located on the Oregon coast, and coastal-oriented tourism is a large component of our local economy. We also have an above-average senior population, which makes our situation unique among most other coastal towns.

The comparisons provided below are PACT's response to those who say, "We've heard about what happens in California casino towns - but what about towns more like Florence?"
  • The Mill Casino in Coos Bay Opened in 1995
  • Chinook Winds Casino in Lincoln City opened in 1995
  • Seven Feathers Casino in Canyonville opened in 1992

Is a casino good for the economy of a town? It is hard to see how this has been the case for these three casino towns. Florence is doing significantly better in most categories of measurement.

 

Census Information:
Florence
Lincoln City
Coos
Bay
Canyonville
1990 Population
5,162
5,892
15,076
1,219
2000 Population
7,263
7,437
15,374
1,293
 
1990 Per Capita Income
$ 10,681
$ 10,960
$ 11,240
$ 9,252
2000 Per Capita Income
$ 18,008
$ 15,597
$ 18,158
$ 14,017
 
2000 Census:
Families below poverty level (% of population)
10%
12.5%
12.7%
15.8%
Individuals below poverty level (% of population)
14.4%
16.1%
16.5%
17.0%
% of families earning less than $35,000 per year
45.8%
55.4%
43.8%
55.7%
Civilian labor force (persons 16 years and over)
2,453
3,490
7,112
536
Employed (in civilian labor force) (% of population)
30.4%
41.3%
41.9%
36.0%
Unemployed (in civilian labor force)(% of population)
3.3%
5.6%
4.3%
5.5%
Households with Social Security Income
56.2%
37.9%
34.4%
40.9%
Employment Industry - Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food service (% of total employed labor force)
19.9%
38.8%
9.7%
19.8%
 
1-year growth <decline> rate (2001 to 2002)
1.8%
0.2%
0.9%
<5.1%>
2-year growth rate (2000 to 2002)
3.5%
0.2%
1.6%
5.2%
10-year growth rate (1990 to 2000)
42.2%
25.9%
2.1%
6.1%
12-year growth rate (1990 to 2002)
47.2%
26.2%
3.6%
11.6%
 

 

Links:

  


P.O. Box 978
Florence, Oregon 97439
e-mail: info@pactoregon.org

  

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