Tohono O’odham tribe receives first permission for casino land

Last Friday the Tohono O’odham Nation got over a major obstacle in their efforts to build a casino near Glendale’s sports and entertainment area.

The U.S Department of Interior approved their request to convert 54 western acres at 91st and Northern avenues into a reservation. Last March the tribe sued the government to force them to process their application which had been ignored for over a year.

The ruling means that the land can be taken into a trust, however, they still need permission to open a casino.

Tribal Chairman Ned Norris Jo said, “The Nation believes that this puts us a step closer to the realization of an economic development project that is vital to the well-being of the Nation and that will make thousands of desperately needed jobs available to our neighbors.”

Officials from Glendale refused to comment until they have studied the ruling, the city does not want the casino as it would use many resources such as water, police and roads.

Next the government will publish in the federal register its intentions to take the land into the reservation system, this will be followed by 30 day public comment.

Norris said that the tribe needs to put forward its argument that it meets the conditions of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. According to the act gaming is not allowed on land acquired after 1988 with exemptions such as if the land was a settlement of a land claim. According to Norris the 54 acres fit this exemption.

The land was acquired after a federal settlement which replaced land near the Gila River that was destroyed by a federally built dam. The settlement included $30 million dollars paid to the tribe.