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JUNE 19, 2001

Santa Clara Pueblo opened a casino in northern New Mexico on Friday but is operating it under provisions of a 1997 compact which will require the tribe to share 16 percent of slot machine revenues with the state.

Worried the rate will hurt their profits, the tribe instead wants a federal judge to allow the casino to operate under a new compact which caps the sharing fee at 8 percent. But that compact hasn't yet been finalized because other tribes and Attorney General Patricia Madrid are still negotiating how to pay $100 million they owe to the state.

Santa Clara doesn't owe any money because the tribe hasn't operated a casino until now.

A hearing has been scheduled for July 3.

Get the Story:
Casino Bowl Opened Under Old Compact (AP 6/19)

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Santa Clara casino a hit (6/18)
Santa Clara to open casino (6/14)
Pueblo seeks casino go-ahead (6/5)
Tribes, state can't agree on casino payments (5/30)