City drops Spokane Tribe's off-reservation casino agreement

Friday, January 25, 2013  

The city of Airway Heights, Washington, withdrew from an off-reservation agreement with the Spokane Tribe.

The city still supports the casino, Mayor Patrick Rushing said. But concerns from officials in Spokane County, along with the threat of litigation, led to the withdrawal.

"The City of Airway Heights believes in open government and we encourage Spokane County to voice its concerns about the project proposed by the Spokane Tribe so that we as a community can gain a better understanding of their position" Rushing said in a press release.

The deal prevented the county from taking a position on the tribe's land-into-trust application. Some county commissioners believed the arrangement was illegal and are likely to withdraw as well.

A separate agreement that requires the tribe to make payments to the city and county for municipal services remains in effect.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs has published a draft environmental impact statement on the tribe's West Plains Mixed-Use Development project.

Get the Story:
Commissioners ready to drop pact with Spokane Tribe over proposed casino (The Spokesman Review 1/25)

Officials want BIA to end Spokane off-reservation casino deal (11/2)