The Wood Village casino campaign headed for the ballot this fall released a very serious voice-over video that calls on Oregonians to harken back to the good old days of dog racing in Wood Village and says the planned casino and waterpark will be an "exciting new community" that embodies "bygone spirit" of Oregon. What says "Oregon" more than gambling indoors? And apparently there will be a farmers' market at the site, because Oregonians always pair their blackjack habit with the purchase of fresh vegetables.

I'm not necessarily against the casino but come on, guys, it's not a bold testament to Oregon's spirit. It's not an exciting new community. It's not a social movement. It's a business that's going to make a helluva lot of money. My favorite moment-of-disconnect in the little video is when the campaign pairs a shot of the parking lot and theater with the line, "Everywhere you look, open vistas and green spaces!"

casino_screenshot.jpg