But it's a gamble tribal leaders are willing to make, at least until political winds change and the tribes have another chance at a Columbia Gorge casino. The resort, founded in 1964, will be competing with more modern destinations across Central Oregon. Moving the casino leaves Kah-Nee-Tah Resort to fend for itself in a windswept series of hills 13 miles away in an area that's as remote as it is breathtaking. 'This will be a first time where people come (to Warm Springs) and leave some money.' 'One of the factors was the desire to jumpstart the economy in Warm Springs and keep some of our money right here,' said Deepak Sehgal, chairman of the board of directors of the Warm Springs Casino and Resort Enterprise Board. Nearly 20 years after The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs first got into the gaming business at Kah-Nee-Tah, their leaders are looking to double down on casino operations, hoping that black jack tables and slots might help to pave the way for brighter days in Warm Springs, where the new Indian Head Casino is located along Highway 26. Now, after a bid for a casino in the Columbia Gorge failed (see sidebar), the tribe is exploring a new solution: more gambling closer to home. It's a cycle that's proved difficult to break. With the exception of a teeny reservation near Burns, no tribe, or county, for that matter, in the state comes close to racking up such a collection of bleak statistics.

And unemployment numbers range from 25 to 70 percent depending on whom you ask. A quarter of the adult population never finished high school. Nearly half the population lives below the poverty level. Alcohol, drug and sex abuse rates are high. When it comes to quality of life indicators on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, the statistics are staggering.

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