Tribal leaders and government officials are among the speakers line up for the Western Governors� Association executive summit on Indian gaming later this month.

Colorado Gov. Bill Owens (R) and South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds (R) will co-host the summit, to take place March 29-30 in Denver. The meeting will focus on state-tribal relations, off-reservation gaming, new technologies and the growth of the $18.5 billion tribal casino industry.

�Much has changed since the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act was passed in 1988,� Owens said yesterday. �With a balanced group of interested parties at the summit, I�m confident that we can develop meaningful recommendations for improving the act.�

The list of speakers includes:
• Stuwart Paisano, Governor, Pueblo of Sandia
• Ernie Stevens, Chairman, National Indian Gaming Association
• Keller George, President, United Southern and Eastern Tribes
• Kurt Luger, Executive Director, Great Plains Indian Gaming Association
• Larry Long, Attorney General, South Dakota
• George Skibine, Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs
• Nelson Westrin, Vice Chairman, National Indian Gaming Commission

More information on the summit can be found at http://www.westgov.org/wga/meetings/gaming.htm.