Indianz.Com > Indian Gaming

Gaming compacts in California don't address child support issue

Some tribes in California share gaming revenues with their members but the money can't be used to cover child support payments.

Christina Brown was married to a member of the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians. A state court ordered the man to pay child support but she doesn't have access to his per capita payments.

"The court ordered him to make all these payments,” Brown told Capitol Weekly. “But I couldn’t garnish them."

Only the Yurok Tribe has a compact that requires enforcement of child support laws. And only the Quechan Nation has voluntarily started to establish a program that would help enforce child support laws on the California portion of its reservation.

"It would be really nice if a tribe stepped up," Cheryl Schmidt, a gaming activist, told Capitol Weekly.

Get the Story:
Women claim tribes won’t enforce child support (Capitol Weekly 9/2)

September 1, 2010

9th Circuit rejects challenge to NIGC's approval of Cowlitz casino

printer friendly

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit that sought to stop the Cowlitz Tribe from building a casino in Washington.

The city of Vancouver sued the National Indian Gaming Commission for approving the tribe's gaming ordinance. The city claimed the NIGC shouldn't have made the decision because the Bureau of Indian Affairs hasn't approved the tribe's land-into-trust application.

In an unpublished opinion, the 9th Circuit said the city lacked standing to sue the NIGC. "As the city has not established a procedural injury resulting from the timing of the [NIGC's] approval, it does not have Article III standing to maintain this suit," the court wrote.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs published a final environmental impact statement in favor of the Cowlitz Casino Resort over two years ago but the Bush administration never made a decision on the land-into-trust application.

9th Circuit Decision:
City of Vancouver v. NIGC (August 31, 2010)

Related Stories:
Cowlitz Tribe still waiting on decision on land-into-trust application (7/30)

Seminole Tribe attracts patrons who want to smoke and gamble

printer friendly

Gamblers who like to smoke are flocking to casinos owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

Non-Indian facilities must comply with the state's ban on smoking in public places. But the law doesn't apply to Indian Country.

"If luck is going my way, I don't want to have to get up and go outside to have a cigarette," frequent patron "If luck is going my way, I don't want to have to get up and go outside to have a cigarette," told The South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Under the terms of its Class III gaming compact, the tribe agreed to improve conditions for non-smokers. The tribe is installing more ventilation equipment and designating non-smoking areas at their casinos.

Get the Story:
Unhealthy habit brings casinos healthy business (The South Florida Sun-Sentinel 9/1)

Mohegan Tribe negotiates to buy land for Massachusetts casino

printer friendly

The Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut is in negotiations to buy the site of a proposed casino in Massachusetts.

The tribe is currently leasing 150 acres in Palmer, in the western part of the state. The tribe will outright buy the land if lawmakers approve casino-style gaming in Massachusetts.

The tribe plans to spend $600 million on Mohegan Sun Palmer.

Get the Story:
Mohegan Sun in talks to buy land for Mass. casino (The Norwich Bulletin 9/1)

Related Stories:
Mohegan Tribe reiterates commitment to Massachusetts gaming (8/25)

Winnebago Tribe gains approval to expand parking lot at casino

printer friendly

The Winnebago Tribe will move forward with a $3 million expansion of its casino in Iowa.

The tribe is adding a hotel and expanding a parking lot at WinnaVegas. The hotel will be on trust land but the parking lot will be within Woodbury County limits so a re-zoning change was requested and approved on Tuesday.

The hotel will feature 78 rooms.

Get the Story:
WinnaVegas Hotel Expansion (KMEG-TV 8/31)

BIA to consult tribes over gaming land-into-trust determinations

printer friendly

The Bureau of Indian Affairs has scheduled a series of consultations to ask tribes about gaming land-into-trust determinations.

Three major topics are on the agenda. All affect policies, regulations and directives issued by the Bush administration that make it nearly impossible for tribes to acquire land away from existing reservations.

“I am pleased that Indian Affairs is continuing our consultation with tribes,” Assistant Secretary Larry Echo Hawk said in a press release. “It is critical that we work together with tribes to address important issues regarding Indian Gaming and sovereignty."

The first topic is the controversial January 3, 2008, guidance memorandum that states distance will be taken into account when reviewing land-into-trust applications. No limit was ever set but the Bush administration suggested 40 miles from an existing reservation was the farthest a tribe could seek land.

The second issue affects the Section 20 regulations that the Bush administration finalized in May 2008. The BIA wants to know whether some of the key definitions that affect land-into-trust determinations should be changed.

The third topic addresses the manner in which off-reservation casinos are reviewed. The Bush administration gave the BIA more discretion to reject land-into-trust applications even when they are supported by the state and local community.

The consultations will take place from September 23 through November 18.

Relevant Documents:
Processing Discretionary Fee-to-Trust Applications (IAM June 24, 2010) | Processing Land-into-Trust Applications for Applications Not Related to Gaming (June 18, 2010) | Press Release: Salazar Policy on Land-into-Trust Sees Restoration of Tribal Lands as Key to Interior Strategy for Empowering Indian Tribes (July 1, 2010)

Global Gaming Expo announces new dates and location for 2011

printer friendly

The organizers of Global Gaming Expo announced new dates and a new location for the world's largest gaming conference.

The 2011 conference will take place October 4-6. That's more than a month earlier than usual.

Next year's conference is also moving to the Sands Expo and Convention Center. The meeting has usually been held at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

This year's meeting takes place November 16-18.

Get the Story:
Global Gaming Expo moving to Sands in 2011 (The Las Vegas Review-Journal 9/1)

Related Stories:
Global Gaming Expo hosts web sessions on Indian gaming issues (7/23)

August 31, 2010

Judge won't change wording on Guidiville Band casino referendum

printer friendly

A judge in California upheld the wording of an advisory referendum on the casino proposed by the Guidiville Band of Pomo Indians.

Critics said Measure U includes false statements about the $1.2 billion Point Molate Resort. But after the parties in the dispute failed to come to an agreement about new wording, the judge said the ballot could go ahead as originally written.

The referendum will not be binding on the city of Richmond. But the outcome could affect whether council members move forward with a deal with the tribe.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs has released a draft environmental impact statement and environmental impact report on the project.

Get the Story:
Judge strikes down challenge to voter-pamphlet argument against Richmond casino (The Contra Costa Times 8/31)

Seneca Nation accuses state of violating Class III casino compact

printer friendly

The Seneca Nation says the state of New York has violated its Class III gaming compact.

The tribe says the state has allowed non-Indian gaming facilities. So the tribe won't make revenue-sharing payments any longer.

"We're gonna stand up we're gonna fight and defend our sovereignty and our treaties," council member J.C. Seneca told WIVB.

The compact requires the tribe to share 25 percent of slot machine revenues with the state in exchange for exclusivity for Class III games.

Get the Story:
Tax tug of war between Senecas, NYS (WIVB 8/30)
Seneca Nation to Withhold NYS Casino Payments (WKBW 8/30)

Yankton Sioux Tribe breaks ground on expansion project at casino

printer friendly

The Yankton Sioux Tribe of South Dakota broke ground on a $10 million casino expansion project.

The Fort Randall Casino and Hotel will be expanded in three phases. The first phase includes a new gaming floor, an improved ventilation system and more gaming machines and gaming tables.

"The larger casino will mean more jobs, and the construction will also bring jobs to the area," Chairwoman Karen Archambeau said at the groundbreaking, The Yankton Press and Dakotan reported. "This project will really help our people with our high unemployment rate of 70 to 80 percent. This helps tremendously with self-esteem for our people."

The tribe received a loan from the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community of Minnesota.

Get the Story:
YST Aims For Big Payout With Casino Expansion (The Yankton Press and Dakotan 8/31)
$10 million expansion project kicks off at Fort Randall Casino (The Mitchell Daily Republic 8/31)
Username: indianz@indianz.com, Password: indianz

Choctaw Nation starts offering alcohol at its newest casino resort

printer friendly

Alcohol is now available at the newest Choctaw Nation casino in Oklahoma.

Restaurants and bars at the Choctaw Casino and Resort in Durant are offering liquor. Drinks are also available on the gaming floor.

"You know, the number one request of our guests was of course alcohol. And to compete in the market now you just really need to have all of the services,” tribal gaming director Janie Dillard told KXII-TV.

All liquor sales are handled by Delaware North, a concessions company.

Get the Story:
Alcohol served on Choctaw Casino floor (KXII-TV 8/30)

Related Stories:
Choctaw Nation gains approval for alcohol sales at casino (5/5)

Editorial: Little River Band off-reservation casino is about the jobs

printer friendly

"What part of economic development don’t Michigan legislators understand?

The unsuccessful attempt last week to discharge a resolution from committee concerning a tribal casino proposed for Muskegon, proves lawmakers have a better understanding of politics than job creation.

Apparently, politics is what’s holding up approval of a compact allowing the development of a casino at the former Great Lakes Downs race course, another gambling venue.

Just to set the record straight, more than 13,000 people were unemployed in Muskegon County in July. Muskegon has either led the state in unemployment or been near the top since December 2008. Yet, a proposal that could generate more than 1,000 jobs and more than $100 million in investment has been languishing in a House committee since April.

That $100 million is just the beginning of the economic impact. As The Chronicle Editorial Board has noted before, area economic development officials believe the multiplier effect of the casino project would be double or triple the tribe’s investment.

Salaries for the more than 700 direct jobs that are expected to be created would average $40,000 plus benefits. About 25 percent of Muskegon County residents do not have health insurance."

Get the Story:
Editorial: It's about jobs (The Muskegon Chronicle 8/31)

August 30, 2010

Charges dropped against one person in Hopland Band casino theft

printer friendly

Charges were dropped against a woman who was one of eight people who are accused of stealing more than $102,000 from the casino owned by the Hopland Band of Pomo Indians of California.

Gloria Marie Nelson, 77, had been charged with felony embezzlement and grand theft charge. But there appeared to be insufficient evidence that she participated in the scheme because her signature had been forged on a false jackpot at the Sho-Ka-Wah Casino

Seven people, including a former employee, remain charged with stealing from the casino.

Get the Story:
Forgery not among charges in slot machine case (The Ukiah Daily Journal 8/30)

Related Stories:
Eight indicted for stealing more than $102K from Hopland casino (8/25)

Navajo Nation community approves sale of alcohol at new casino

printer friendly

Members of the Navajo Nation who live in the Upper Fruitland Chapter voted to approve alcohol at a planned casino.

Alcohol will be restricted to the restaurant at the $80 million facility in New Mexico. No liquor will be allowed on the gaming floor or in other areas of the casino.

"The more that's generated, we might be able to get a piece of it, and it might be equal to or better than the tribal allocation," Chapter President Leroy Lee told The Farmington Daily Times of the rationale for supporting alcohol sales.

The casino is expected to open in October 2010.

Get the Story:
Upper Fruitland approves alcohol for planned casino (The Farmington Daily Times 8/28)

Compact for Little River Band off-reservation casino up in the air

printer friendly

The Little River Band of Ottawa Indians of Michigan is weighing its options after a compact for an off-reservation casino failed to come up for a vote last week.

The tribe plans to build a casino in Fruitport Township. The site is about 80 miles from the tribe's headquarters but it's within the tribe's nine-county service area.

The compact survived a series of hearings but it appeared to be headed for a negative vote last week. Lawmakers have until December 31 to vote on the agreement.

"We're going to weigh the options and strategies we have before us," Robert Memberto, the tribe's commerce director, told The Muskegon Chronicle.

Separately, the tribe needs approval for its land-into-trust application.

Get the Story:
Fruitport Township's casino future uncertain after failed vote (The Muskegon Chronicle 8/30)

Mississippi Choctaw judge won't force referendum on casino plan

printer friendly

A judge with the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians won't force the tribe to hold a referendum on its new casino.

Three tribal members sought a vote on the controversial project. But Judge Jeffrey Webb said they didn't comply with the tribal election process.

The new facility will be located near Sandersville. The site is about 80 miles from main tribal headquarters in Philadelphia, where the tribe operates two casinos.

Gov. Haley Barbour (R) is trying to block the facility.

Get the Story:
Judge denies vote on Jones County casino (The Laurel Leader-Call 8/28)
Barbour wants EPA to stop Choctaw casino (AP 8/30)

Mayor supports Mashpee Wampanoag land-into-trust application

printer friendly

The mayor of Fall River, Massachusetts, is urging the Interior Department to approve the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe land-into-trust application.

The tribe wants to build a casino on a 300-acre site in the city. Mayor Will Flanagan said the project is important to the area.

"Development of that land that the tribe is seeking to have placed in trust will provide the good jobs that are so desperately needed in this area. In addition, revenue that will be provided to the city through an intergovernmental agreement will allow us to fund the public safety, education and infrastructure projects that are so important to the health of this city and the surrounding region," Flanagan wrote in a letter to Secretary Ken Salazar, The Fall River Herald News reported.

The tribe started the land-into-trust process in August 2007. In February 2009, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in Carcieri v. Salazar.

The decision limits the land-into-trust process to tribes that were "under federal jurisdiction" in 1934. The Mashpees didn't gain formal recognition until May 2007 but the Obama administration is moving forward with all pending applications.

Get the Story:
Mayor urges Interior Dept. to take proposed casino land into Indian trust (The Fall River Herald News 8/30)

Relevant Documents:
Secretary Salazar Memo on Gaming Land Applications | Press Release: Interior Details Path Forward on Indian Gaming Policy

Editorial: Umatilla Tribes take brave step with expansion of casino

printer friendly

"The state and national economy remains depressing. Folks are rightfully concerned about getting or keeping a job, and making ends meet as wages remain stagnant and prices rise. Many are fearful of what looms on the economic horizon.

Yet there was a bright beacon of hope shining Wednesday in Eastern Oregon, thanks to the Wildhorse Resort and Casino and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

The beacon was the groundbreaking ceremony for Wildhorse's $45 million expansion.

The original casino and resort is an amazing story - 16 years ago, the site was a field. Today, there's a premier destination for tourists - Wildhorse Resort and Casino, as well as other diverse attractions, including the region's top golf course, Tamastslikt Cultural Institute, Arrowhead Plaza and much more.

Without a doubt, our economy and that of the people of the Umatilla, Cayuse and Walla Walla tribes would seriously decline if it were not for the vision of tribal leaders in taking that brave step in 1994.

On a philanthropic level, the success of the resort and casino has translated into significant contributions through the Wildhorse Foundation. It recently gave more than $147,000 to community groups - and that was just for the second quarter of this year."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Wildhorse Resort takes a brave step into the future (The East Oregonian 8/29)

August 27, 2010

Mashantucket Tribe implements policies friendly to LGBT employees

printer friendly

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation of Connecticut is doing its part to make its casinos friendly to lesbian, gay bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) employees.

The tribe has implemented an equal employment policy for LGBT workers and same-sex couples are also eligible for medical benefits. The tribe also added LGBT businesses to its list of minority-owned businesses.

"Our Pequot culture has endured a lot of discrimination over the centuries so we understand the importance of being able to embrace all the freedoms" said tribal spokesperson Lori Potter, The New London Day reported.

Get the Story:
Foxwoods, MGM Grand expand their LGBT policies (THe New London Day 8/27)

La Jolla Band plans for new casino with new gaming partner

printer friendly

The La Jolla Band of Mission Indians of California plans to build a casino on its reservation with a new partner.

The tribe is working with Panther Partners of Florida. Plans call for a 480,000 square-foot casino and hotel.

The tribe was previously working with Nevada Gold but never built a casino.

Get the Story:
La Jolla tribe plans casino, hotel at Palomar Mountain (The North County Times 8/27)

Mississippi governor asks EPA to block Choctaws from new casino

printer friendly

Gov. Haley Barbour (R) is asking the Environmental Protection Agency to stop the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians from building a new casino.

Barbour claims the new facility will harm groundwater in the area. He said the EPA's regional office found problems with the wastewater system.

"[T]he slot parlor as planned will not live up to federal environmental standards," Barbour said in the letter.

The tribe operates two casinos at its headquarters in Philadelphia. The new facility is about 80 miles away but is still considered a part of the reservation.

Get the Story:
Gov. Barbour asks EPA to block casino construction in Jones County (The Neshoba Democrat 8/26)
Mississippi governor wants EPA to stop casino (AP 8/26)
Barbour asks EPA to block Jones County casino (WDAM-TV 8/26)

August 26, 2010

Column: Arizona man seeks Oprah's help in shutting down the BIA

printer friendly

"Harold Lee, a former Maricopa County Justice of the Peace who has been at the center of several off-the-reservation poker rooms that have opened across Arizona the past few years, was one of three people indicted this week on various gambling charges.

Lee and his 2008-formed International Card and Game Players Association — of which he might be the only official member, no one really knows — has made it his mission to legalize poker throughout Arizona. Hoping to separate the game from other forms of gambling, and thus allow it to be played all over the state without criminal prosecution, Lee has gone about this in many different ways.

This includes, but is not limited to, soliciting donations online to get legal representation to try and change state statutes regarding gambling, as well as to try and "abolish" the Bureau of Indian Affairs, a federal agency that he believes has forced Native American tribes to comply with the U.S. government instead of create their own laws.

This is where Oprah comes in.

According to Lee's web site, www.icgpa.org, on Aug. 20 he sent an email to Oprah asking for her "help" to close the BIA. This email, which refers to the BIA as a "goiter on Uncle Sam's neck," claims this government agency is forcing tens of thousands of American citizens to live in poverty and be segregated on Indian reservations.

And just how, mind you, does Lee hope to get Oprah on his side? Well, of course, by pandering to her helpfulness.

"Oprah, it is very obvious that you do not shun responsibility for bringing into the light those forces that challenge our fundamental mores and values. Especially those organizations that promote racial and ethnic inequality.""

Get the Story:
Brian J. Pedersen: Is Oprah the key to legalizing poker in all of Arizona? (The Arizona Daily Star 8/26)

Also Today:
Ex-JP faces gambling charges (The Arizona Daily Star 8/26)

MPR: Candidates for governor of Minnesota open to more gaming

printer friendly

"Minnesota's three major party gubernatorial candidates would consider expanding gambling to help the state recover from the economic downturn, a prospect that has brightened the hopes of those lobbying to put slot machines in the state's horse tracks.

Although Native American tribes say they'll fight any attempts to expand gambling that would present competition to Indian casinos, two of the candidates -- Democrat Mark Dayton and the Independence Party's Tom Horner -- both say they'd like to expand gambling to help solve the state's $5.8 billion budget deficit.

Horner is proposing a racino measure which would allow the state's two horse tracks to install slot machines. He wants to use the $250 million in projected new revenues to build a new Vikings stadium and to fix the state's budget.

"We have a $6 billion shortfall. Legislators understand how deep that hole is and how hard it will be to climb out of it," Horner said. "I think gambling is going to be an option that will get a closer look than it has in past years."

Dayton would like to establish a new casino at the Mall of America or at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. He also said a state-run casino in the Twin Cities metropolitan area would be good for the state because it would provide competition to Mystic Lake, which is run by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux community."

Get the Story:
Three gov candidates would look at gambling expansion (Minnesota Public Radio 8/26)

Pokagon Band finds receptive audience in plan for second casino

printer friendly

The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians presented plans for a second casino in Michigan.

The tribe expects to open a smaller version of its Four Winds Casino in late 2011. The new facility will feature 500 sot machines, nine table games and a restaurant.

"There is a demand for this type of entertainment out here,” Chairman Matt Wesaw told The Muskegon Chronicle. “It fills a need. This is a very exciting time.”

People who attended the tribe's presentation were excited about the casino, especially the 250 to 300 permanent jobs that the facility is expected to create.

Get the Story:
Four Winds North casino planned near Hartford in Van Buren County (The Kalamazoo Gazette 8/26)

Little River off-reservation casino deal fails to come up for a vote

printer friendly

The Little River Band of Ottawa Indians of Michigan will have to wait longer for a vote on its compact for an off-reservation casino.

The Michigan House was prepared to reject a discharge petition for the compact when Rep. Doug Bennett (D) withdrew his request. The vote against advancing the deal would have been at least 53 against 13.

"Certainly, the support is not there in the Legislature to approve an off-reservation casino," James Nye, a spokesperson for three other tribes that oppose the compact, told The Muskegon Chronicle.

The Little River Band's original Class III compact was amended to authorize the off-reservation casino in Fruitport Township and to specify revenue-sharing rates. The tribe would still need Bureau of Indian Affairs approval of the compact, as well as approval for a land-into-trust application.

Get the Story:
Fruitport casino plan gets the cold shoulder from Michigan House of Representatives (The Muskegon Chronicle 8/26)

Letter: Mississippi Choctaws break compact with new casino bid

printer friendly

"Mexico and Canada are both sovereign nations that share borders with the United States. If either were to propose a nuclear waste dump on our border or started training terrorists, our government would not just sit back and say, "Well, they are a sovereign nation and what they do is none of our business."

Of course not!

What a sovereign nation does affects more than just those within its boundaries. This holds true for the Jones County casino. There will be costs that will affect those beyond the tribe's borders and they are not small and they should be addressed.

Also, this sovereign nation is located in the middle of the sovereign state of Mississippi. The compact with the state gives them the right to have casinos without paying taxes. But they can only open the type of casino which is legal for others to open in the state which are resort destination casinos. Which is what the Mississippi Band of Choctaws did in Neshoba County.

Our governor has a responsibility to protect our citizens from unjust expenses inflicted on non-Choctaw citizens and to be sure the tribe doesn't break the compact. That is exactly what Gov. Barbour is doing, and I applaud him for it."

Get the Story:
Cal Callen: Sovereign doesn't mean omnipotent (The Hattiesburg American 8/26)

August 25, 2010

Eight indicted for stealing more than $102K from Hopland casino

printer friendly

Eight people have been indicted in state court for allegedly stealing more than $102,000 from the casino owned by the Hopland Band of Pomo Indians of California.

Joan Elizabeth Pickron, a former employee of the Sho-Ka-Wah Casino, and seven others allegedly manipulated slot machines. Authorities said they stole the money between March 2007 and October 2008.

The tribe participated in the investigation.

Get the Story:
8 facing theft, embezzlement charges over Hopland casino slot machines (The Ukiah Daily Journal 8/25)

Newest tribal casinos in Michigan take in most on slot machines

printer friendly

The Kalamazoo Gazette ranked 11 tribes in Michigan based on the average revenue per slot machine per month at their gaming facilities.

The two newest tribal casinos in the state are generating the most money, according to the paper. The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians takes in $8,638 per machine per month while the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi takes in $7,201.

The rankings were based on information from the Michigan Gaming Control Board.

Get the Story:
Which Michigan casinos collect the most money from slot machines? (The Kalamazoo Gazette 8/24)

Little River Band awaits vote for off-reservation casino compact

printer friendly

The Little River Band of Ottawa Indians is awaiting legislative action on its compact for an off-reservation casino.

The compact authorizes the casino in Fruitport Township and requires the tribe to share revenues with the state. Lawmakers held three hearings on the compact, which has strong local support.

If approved by the state Legislature, the compact will be sent to the Bureau of Indian Affairs for review. The agency's top gaming official has warned it might reject the compact if it refers to land that is not yet held in trust.

The Saginaw Chippewa Tribe, the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi Indians and the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians oppose the casino. They say the Little River Band failed to get approval from other tribes for an off-reservation casino.

Get the Story:
Proposed Fruitport casino could see legislative action (The Muskegon Chronicle 8/25)

Navajo Nation finalizes $5.3M loan to begin work on new casinos

printer friendly

The Navajo Nation finalized a $5.3 million loan to build two more gaming facilities on the reservation.

The tribe will spend about $3.3 million on a casino in Tse Daa K'aan, New Mexico. Another $2 million will be used for a casino in Chinle, Arizona.

The tribe opened its first gaming facility, the Fire Rock Navajo Casino near Gallup, New Mexico, and has seen better than expected revenues.

Get the Story:
Plans for two new Navajo casinos go forward (The Navajo-Hopi Observer 8/24)

Mohegan Tribe reiterates commitment to Massachusetts gaming

printer friendly

The Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut remains committed to pursuing a casino in Massachusetts, a top executive said.

The tribe wants to build the Mohegan Sun Palmer in the western part of the state. But lawmakers failed to act on a bill to legalize gaming and the issue won't be brought up until next year.

“We’re absolutely, fully committed. You can’t knock us off the perch,” Paul I. Brody, a vice president of development for the Mohegan Tribe, told a group in Palmer, The Waterbury Republican reported.

The tribe operates Mohegan Sun on its reservation, about 60 miles from Palmer.

Get the Story:
Mohegan Sun stresses commitment to Palmer casino despite stalled gambling bill in Massachusetts legislature (The Waterbury Republican 8/25)
DeLeo: Formal gambling action this year not ‘an option’ (State House News Service 8/24)

Deal of the Week: Eastern Cherokees bet on big casino expansion

printer friendly

"Lady Antebellum and Hank Williams Jr. will be the headliners on Labor Day weekend when Harrah's Cherokee Casino & Hotel in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina opens a 3,000-seat event center.

The owners, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, will have good reason to join in the singing.

Casino expansions are unusual events these days in the world of Indian gambling. Like gambling parlors throughout the country, they have been hurt by shrinking casino revenue.

Investors have been particularly spooked by Indian gambling in the wake of several defaults by a number of casinos, including Foxwoods Resort Casino in Ledyard, Conn., which is owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation.

Not surprisingly, in this climate it has been difficult for Indian tribes to raise money to launch new casinos or expand existing ones. But the Cherokee in North Carolina has managed to sidestep these concerns.

Opened in 1997, the casino is moving ahead with a $633 million project that is adding some Las Vegas-style glitz along with doubling the size of its gambling space. Before the expansion, the casino, which is owned by the Cherokees and operated by Harrah's Entertainment Inc., had 575 hotel rooms and some 3,200 games largely comprised of video slots, said John Houser, chairman of the Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprise, a board appointed by the tribe to oversee the casino. The new casino will have about 4,500 games and a wider variety, including video poker.

By the end of this year, a third hotel tower is expected to be completed by Turner Construction Co. that will roughly double the number of hotel rooms to just over 1,000. Meanwhile, construction also began this month on a rotunda that will include a more dramatic casino entrance, with interior design elements that include 85-foot-tall sculptured trees and a waterfall. Also on tap: an 18,000-square-foot spa and new restaurants, including a Ruth's Chris Steak House. When the complex is finished in 2012, the total amount of gambling space will have been doubled to about 160,000 square feet, Mr. Houser said."

Get the Story:
Cherokee Casino Bets on More Glitz (The Wall Street Journal 8/25)

August 24, 2010

Mississippi Choctaw court hears dispute over casino referendum

printer friendly

Three members of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians went to tribal court on Monday to ask for a reservation-wide referendum on a controversial casino project.

The tribal council voted 8-7 to build a casino near Sandersville. Vickie Rangel, Austin Tubby and Bobbie Frazier say tribal members have a right to vote on the issue.

The tribe operates two casinos at its headquarters in Philadelphia. The new site is about 80 miles away but is still considered a part of the reservation.

Get the Story:
Tribal Judge to rule later on group's request for referendum on Jones casino (The Neshoba Democrat 8/24)
Tribal judge hears casino issue arguments (The Laurel Leader-Call 8/24)

Forest County Potawatomi revenues fall more than five percent

printer friendly

Revenues at the casino owned by the Forest County Potawatomi Tribe of Wisconsin fell by more than five percent in the last year, he Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

The Potawatomi Bingo Casino saw a net win of about $350 million in the year that ended on June 30, the paper said. That's down from $370 million the prior year.

Under its Class III gaming compact, tribe shares 1.5 percent of net win with local communities. The paper based its figures off the latest payment.

Get the Story:
Gambling revenue dips 5% at Potawatomi casino (The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 8/24)

Turtle Talk: Big news from BIA on revenue sharing and compacts

printer friendly

"Here are my general personal observations, not on behalf of any clients or my firm:

(1) The language regarding a general proportionality test to measure whether tribal revenue sharing payments roughly correspond to benefits conferred by the state is broader than past formulations. Importantly, the Department’s recognition that exclusivity is not the sole benefit that can be conferred to support revenue sharing opens the door to tribal exploration of other benefits that can support revenue sharing. Outside of California, which is the only state to have affirmatively waived its 11th Amendment immunity for suit under IGRA, this is often necessary as a practical matter to entice states to the bargaining table. (Even in California, so long as there is a Governor who doesn’t give a rip what federal law requires, some means of inducement appears necessary – unless a tribe wants a decade of litigation.) Barring the Holy Grail of a Seminole fix, tribes need the ability to be creative. For Interior, though, there is a balancing act between allowing tribes some flexibility and giving states carte blanche to turn any of the ordinary elements of a compact into a club to demand revenue sharing…

(2) The analysis of the State’s supposed concession in deducting participation fees from net win implies a lack of understanding on Interior’s part regarding the issue here. Interior says this concession lacks meaning because the NIGC already provides for the deduction of participation fees in calculating net revenue. True. But like most (if not all) revenue sharing percentages, this one is calculated on net win, which is gross revenue, not net revenue. The real point here should be that the method of calculating the percentage paid to the State is what is meaningless – it should not matter how revenue sharing is calculated, only whether the revenue sharing that results is proportional to the economic benefits provided by a state’s concessions."

Get the Story:
Lance Boldrey: Habemotalel Gaming Compact Denial (Turtle Talk 8/24)

Relevant Documents:
Larry Echo Hawk Letter to Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake (August 17, 2010)

Related Stories:
BIA rejects casino compact for Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake (8/23)
Habematolel Pomo await BIA approval for gaming compact (6/1)

New NIGC chair speaks at Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association

printer friendly

Tracie Stevens, the first woman to lead the National Indian Gaming Commission, delivered the keynote at the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association conference on Monday.

Stevens pledged to consult tribes on gaming issues. She said the NIGC will continue to hold one-on-one meetings with tribes on specific issues but she also promised to hold general meetings so that all tribes can hear from one another.

In addition to consultation, Stevens said technical assistance and training, regulatory review and a review of the agency’s operations are among her top priorities at the NIGC.

Get the Story:
Head of National Indian Gaming Commission pledges changes (The Tulsa World 8/24)
Oklahoma governor defends compact with tribes for gaming oversight (The Tulsa World 8/22)

Nottawaseppi Huron Band pays off gaming loan four years early

printer friendly

The Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi of Michigan paid off a $35 million gaming loan four years early.

The tribe secured the financing to buy 2,680 slot machines for the FireKeepers Casino. Just a year after opening the facility, the tribe earned enough to pay the debt in full.

The casino took in $96.5 million in slot machine revenues from August 2009 through December 2009, The Kalamazoo Gazette reported. A portion of the revenues goes to local communities.

Get the Story:
Casino pays back loan four years ahead of schedule (WWMT-TV 8/23)
Governments' casino checks coming soon (The Battle Creek Enquirer 8/24)
Tribe pays off $35 million loan for FireKeepers Casino four years early (The Kalamazoo Gazette 8/23)
FireKeepers Casino pulled in $96.5 million from its slot machines in five months (The Kalamazoo Gazette 8/24)

August 23, 2010

Editorial: Bad news for the Northwest on off-reservation casinos

printer friendly

"No news is good news when it comes to casino development, you say? Perhaps, if you’re talking about the mega-casino proposed by the Cowlitz Tribe for the Interstate 5 interchange near La Center. For months now, we haven’t heard much about that project.

Good. The multiple reasons to oppose that casino (impacts that would lower the local quality of life) have been documented in detail and assailed in dozens of Columbian editorials. So we’ll take no news from the casino promoters as good news for now. Call it a silver lining in the massive cloud known as the Great Recession.

Elsewhere in the Northwest, though, there are plenty of reasons to be alarmed about the profusion of gambling and its worrisome growth. In one case, that growth extends into one of the most cherished areas in this corner of the country. We’ll let U.S. Rep. David Wu, D-Ore., open the discussion in a pull-no-punches style: “A gambling casino does not belong in any of America’s uniquely spectacular natural landscapes, and it is utterly absurd that the Bureau of Indian Affairs has recommended siting a casino in Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge.” We couldn’t agree more, with the reminder that it’s also Washington’s Columbia River Gorge.

Wu’s rage is rooted in a ruling earlier this month by the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs, which released its final environmental impact statement that identified an industrial park in the Gorge town of Cascade Locks as its preferred site for a casino. The proposal by the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs calls for a 90,000-square-foot casino, a 241-room hotel and a 26,000-square-foot convention center. There’s no denying the economic boost this could provide to Cascade Locks, but there’s also no denying there must be umpteen other places to build a casino outside the Gorge, one of this region’s most beautiful natural treasures. This casino dispute is a matter of place and propriety, and the incursion of gambling into the Gorge would violate the marriage of those two concepts."

Get the Story:
In Our View: No Gambling in Gorge (The Columbian 8/23)

Federal Register Notice:
Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon Proposed Trust Acquisition and Resort and Casino Project, Cascade Locks, Hood River County, OR (August 6, 2010)

OSHA in court over inspection at Tohono O'odham Nation casino

printer friendly

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is asking a federal judge to force the Tohono O'odham Nation to allow an inspection of one of its casinos.

OSHA wants to check out the air quality at the Desert Diamond Casino. But the tribe wouldn't let an inspector inside, according to the lawsuit.

Libby Francisco, the chief operating officer of the Tohono O'odham Gaming Enterprise said OSHA has failed to contact the tribe about its visits. The inspector needs to be accompanied by a tribal gaming official because a certain area of the casino is secure, she said.

Get the Story:
US, casino at odds on air-quality inspection (The Arizona Daily Star 8/23)

BIA rejects casino compact for Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake

printer friendly

The Bureau of Indian Affairs has rejected a Class III gaming compact for the Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake of California.

The BIA said the agreement violated the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Specifically, the provisions regarding revenue sharing and exclusivity raised concerns for Assistant Secretary Larry Echo Hawk.

"This is devastating but I don't think we're done," Chair Sherry Treppa told Lake County News in response to the BIA's decision.

The tribe had broken ground on a $25 million casino but stopped work to wait for BIA approval of the compact. Treppa said the agreement was re-submitted twice in the last six months as officials in Echo Hawk's office indicated they might reject it.

Get the Story:
Department of the Interior disapproves Habematolel gaming compact; tribe vows to continue efforts (The Lake County News 8/23)

Related Stories:
Habematolel Pomo await BIA approval for gaming compact (6/1)

Opinion: Questioning the sovereignty behind tribes and casinos

printer friendly

"The recent piece by Tim Korte of The Associated Press, entitled "New Mexico casino lawsuit calls tribal sovereignty into question," may be news to New Mexicans but it is old news for many of us who follow the issue of sovereignty as it applies to business contracts as conducted by the tribes with non-Indians.

The reason we don't hear much about the connection with this lawsuit and the possibility of other lawsuits regarding sovereignty is because our local journalists can't connect the dots; what occurs in our local tribal casinos is also happening nationwide.

In the New Mexico case, attorney Sam Bregman has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to hear a case where a client, retired Albuquerque city worker Gary Hoffman, sued Sandia Resort and Casino over what the tribe characterized as a malfunctioning slot machine that displayed a $1.6 million "jackpot." In New Mexico, both the state District Court and the New Mexico Court of Appeals said that the tribes' sovereign immunity kept them from being sued.

Bregman may not be as crazy as some think and he may not be the only attorney suing tribes, including tribal casinos that have not only not paid up on "malfunctioning" machines but also on potentially much larger issues — like how are non-Indian investors going to get their money back if tribal casinos go belly up?"

Get the Story:
Orlando Romero: Questions arise on sovereignty for casinos (The Santa Fe New Mexican 8/22)

September 2, 2010

Opinion: State politicians should back Mississippi Choctaw casino

Gaming compacts in California don't address child support issue

September 1, 2010

9th Circuit rejects challenge to NIGC's approval of Cowlitz casino

Seminole Tribe attracts patrons who want to smoke and gamble

Mohegan Tribe negotiates to buy land for Massachusetts casino

Winnebago Tribe gains approval to expand parking lot at casino

BIA to consult tribes over gaming land-into-trust determinations

Global Gaming Expo announces new dates and location for 2011

August 31, 2010

Judge won't change wording on Guidiville Band casino referendum

Seneca Nation accuses state of violating Class III casino compact

Yankton Sioux Tribe breaks ground on expansion project at casino

Choctaw Nation starts offering alcohol at its newest casino resort

Editorial: Little River Band off-reservation casino is about the jobs

August 30, 2010

Charges dropped against one person in Hopland Band casino theft

Navajo Nation community approves sale of alcohol at new casino

Compact for Little River Band off-reservation casino up in the air

Mississippi Choctaw judge won't force referendum on casino plan

Mayor supports Mashpee Wampanoag land-into-trust application

Editorial: Umatilla Tribes take brave step with expansion of casino

August 27, 2010

Mashantucket Tribe implements policies friendly to LGBT employees

La Jolla Band plans for new casino with new gaming partner

Mississippi governor asks EPA to block Choctaws from new casino

August 26, 2010

Column: Arizona man seeks Oprah's help in shutting down the BIA

MPR: Candidates for governor of Minnesota open to more gaming

Pokagon Band finds receptive audience in plan for second casino

Little River off-reservation casino deal fails to come up for a vote

Letter: Mississippi Choctaws break compact with new casino bid

August 25, 2010

Eight indicted for stealing more than $102K from Hopland casino

Newest tribal casinos in Michigan take in most on slot machines

Little River Band awaits vote for off-reservation casino compact

Navajo Nation finalizes $5.3M loan to begin work on new casinos

Mohegan Tribe reiterates commitment to Massachusetts gaming

Deal of the Week: Eastern Cherokees bet on big casino expansion

August 24, 2010

Mississippi Choctaw court hears dispute over casino referendum

Forest County Potawatomi revenues fall more than five percent

Turtle Talk: Big news from BIA on revenue sharing and compacts

New NIGC chair speaks at Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association

Nottawaseppi Huron Band pays off gaming loan four years early

August 23, 2010

Editorial: Bad news for the Northwest on off-reservation casinos

OSHA in court over inspection at Tohono O'odham Nation casino

BIA rejects casino compact for Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake

Opinion: Questioning the sovereignty behind tribes and casinos

Editorial: The good and bad in proposed Tohono O'odham casino