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Rival tribe distributes Tohono O'odham Nation gaming documents

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

The Tohono O'odham Nation owns and operates the Desert Diamond West Valley Casino and Resort in Glendale, Arizona. Photo from Facebook

The Tohono O'odham Nation was required to turn over internal casino-related documents as part of a lawsuit against the state of Arizona.

After receiving the documents, the Arizona Department of Gaming shared them with the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. The tribe's public relations firm subsequently gave them to Capitol Media Services, an action that wasn't anticipated by the state.

"It was not the intent of the lawyers representing Director Bergin to have these documents shared beyond the attorneys,'' a spokesperson for Daniel Bergin, the director of the department, told the news agency.

According to Capitol Media Services, the documents detail plans by the Tohono O'odham Nation to pursue a new gaming facility in the Phoenix area. The tribe opened the Desert Diamond West Valley Casino and Resort last December over the objections of the state and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.

The Desert Diamond facility, however, can't offer Class III games because the state refuses to certify it. That's what led to the lawsuit in which the casino-related documents were disclosed.

Get the Story:
Documents reveal Tohono Nation officials sought land before tribal gaming vote (Capitol Media Services 7/13)