Mayor appears open to Tohono O'odham Nation casino plan

Tuesday, February 12, 2013  

The new mayor of Glendale, Arizona, said he would negotiate a casino deal with the Tohono O'odham Nation if the tribe prevails in court.

Mayor Jerry Weiers was elected in November 2012. He said he had concerns about the West Valley Resort but indicated that a final decision wasn't up to him.

"But the fate of the casino will ultimately be decided by the courts, and if the project is given the green light, it will be my job as mayor to get the best deal possible for Glendale taxpayers,” Weiers told Newszap in an interview prior to the election.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs approved the tribe's land-into-trust application for the casino site near Glendale. That prompted a lawsuit from the state of Arizona, the Gila River Indian Community and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.

The Tohono O'odham Nation remains confident it will prevail in court since every decision so far has gone in its favor. A hearing on motions for summary judgement takes place April 9, Newszap reported.

Get the Story:
Tribe: Bet on casino win in court (Newszap.com 2/12)

More than $3.8M spent on Tohono O'odham casino lobbying

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