Opinion: Hysteria over Tohono O'odham casino

Friday, August 28, 2009  

"Recently, there has been an inordinate amount of near hysteria about the Tohono O'odham Nation's desire to construct a destination resort and gaming facility in the West Valley.

Contrary to the overheated rhetoric coming from Glendale, here are a few facts:

• Indian tribes cannot simply buy land and put up a casino. The land must be taken into trust by the federal government - and in this case that literally took an act of Congress

After almost 10,000 acres of the Tohono O'odham Nation's reservation near Gila Bend was flooded due to actions of the federal government, Congress specifically created a mechanism for the Tohono O'odham Nation to acquire replacement parcels to be used for economic development. The parcel the Tohono O'odham Nation bought in the West Valley meets the requirements imposed by Congress for replacement lands.

Because of the extreme rarity of settlement acts like the Tohono O'odham Nation's, it is highly unlikely that land would be taken in trust in this manner for another tribe - and even less likely that any such lands could be used for gaming."

Get the Story:
Grady Gammage Jr.: Glendale, talk with tribe about casino (The Arizona Republic 8/28)