Arizona tribes support bill that blocks gaming in Phoenix area

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Artist's rendering of the proposed West Valley Resort. Image from Tohono O'odham Nation.

A bill that would prevent the Tohono O'odham Nation from opening an off-reservation casino in Arizona is drawing the support of more tribes.

The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community and the Gila River Indian Community already oppose the casino and are part of a lawsuit aimed at stopping it. Now the Hualapai Tribe, the Cocopah Tribe and Zuni Pueblo have joined the cause.

“As a tribal leader, a resident, and a voter in the state of Arizona I support this legislative effort to preserve and maintain the gaming policy made between the tribes and Arizona voters to limit the number of casinos in the Phoenix metropolitan area,” Hualapai Tribe Chairwoman Sherry Counts said in a press release.

Rep. Trent Franks (R-Arizona) introduced H.R.1410 on Tuesday. It prevents all forms of Class II or Class III gaming on land taken into trust in the Phoenix area after January 1, 2013.

The bill doesn't mention any tribes by name. But its provisions are clearly aimed at the Tohono O'odham Nation, whose proposed West Valley Resort would be located in the Phoenix area.

The tribe acquired the casino site in connection with a land claim settlement. So far, the courts have ruled that the law requires the Bureau of Indian Affairs to place the land in trust.

The land hasn't been deemed eligible for gaming at this point. But Section 20 of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act contains an exception for land acquired in connection with a land claim settlement.

Get the Story:
Bill would foil O'odham casino plans in Glendale (Capitol Media Services 4/10)
Ruling expected soon on casino plan near Glendale (The Arizona Republic 4/10)
Casino combatants square off in court (The Glendale News-Star 4/10)
Bill Seeks to Derail Planned Casino Near Glendale (AP 4/9)
Arizona lawmakers look to derail $500M casino (The Phoenix Business Journal 4/9) Related Stories:
Rep. Franks takes aim at Tohono O'odham Nation casino again (4/9)