Artist's rendering of the proposed West Valley Resort. Image from Tohono O'odham Nation
The Gila River Indian Community is spending big in Washington, D.C., in its fight against the Tohono O'odham Nation off-reservation casino. The tribe spent $2.3 million on the Akin Gump lobbying firm in 2013 .The contract was the largest that year, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. The large expenditures have continued. According to the Senate Office on Public Records, the tribe has spent $1.8 million so far this year on Akin Gump [First Quarter Report | Second Quarter Report]. Lobbying records list a number of issues the firm is working on for the tribe. Listed last is H.R.1410, the Keep the Promise Act. The bill doesn't mention the Tohono O'odham Nation by name but it prevents the tribe from using its trust land in the Phoenix area for gaming. The Gila River Indian Community, which operates casinos in the Phoenix area, supports the measure. Get the Story:
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