Gaming clock ticking
Tribe hopes to beat compact deadline

By Kathy Helms
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — Until Wednesday’s announcement by Controller Mark Grant that the Navajo Nation had more than one option at its disposal to finance construction of a casino, the intent of the gaming initiative was at a standstill.
But the Resources Committee’s agreement to invest $35 million of the $56 million Land Acquisition Trust Fund will allow the Navajo Nation a chance to get in the game on the New Mexico side of the reservation just before all tribal compacts with the state come up for renewal — or so it is hoped.

Following Wednesday’s presentation to the Budget and Finance Committee, Grant and B&F Chairman LoRenzo Bates made a presentation to Resources regarding B&F’s reaction to the controller’s report on financing options.

“The land acquisition fund allows it (gaming) to move forward, but at the same time allows Mr. Grant to look at other alternatives,” Bates told the Resources Committee. “The other thing, which is just as important, is it allows us to establish a track record in terms of being able to manage our own money in terms of investment, in terms of pay back.
“So all of these issues that are out there with financial institutions wanting to know whether the Nation is good for it or not, it makes it easier in the future of going out and borrowing money ... for whatever it may be — whether it be casinos, nursing homes, senior citizen centers, etc.,” Bates said.

Resources member Harry Williams said his only concern is that “this issue of gaming is too politically motivated. There’s too many tribal governments involved in politics.”

“At what point in time do the politics step back and whoever’s going to do the gaming, run with it?” Williams asked. He wanted to know, too, “Why are we saying Churchrock, Churchrock? The president is saying Churchrock. The Council is saying Churchrock.”

Vice Chairman Curran Hannon also questioned the Churchrock location, saying, “That’s not a very good location. Twin Arrows, I think, would have been a better location.”

Resources Chairman George Arthur responded, “Because that’s where the money is.” He said that based on the expertise of Robert Winter, CEO of Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise, “that’s where the market is best.”

Arthur also reminded the committee the Navajo Nation has two compacts. “There’s the New Mexico compact and the Arizona compact. They do not say the same thing. There is a lot of difference.

“We’ve got, I think, three delegates, probably as we speak, negotiating with the state of Arizona for Navajo Nation gaming in the state of Arizona.”

B&F’s Bates told the committee that the New Mexico gaming compact is up for renewal. He said he was not sure about the status of the compact with Arizona.

“But I can tell you right now that our sister tribes (in New Mexico) don’t want Navajo to become a gaming tribe because it takes away from the money that they’re putting in their pockets today. So the longer we wait, the more politics there are at play in terms of not allowing Navajo to become a gaming tribe.

“New Mexico could cut down the number from what it is now to one. Arizona could do the same thing,” he said.

“So we must get established out there and make our presence known, rather than dragging it out any longer — because it allows for that situation to come about, to be discussed, and worst-case scenario, Navajo not becoming a gaming tribe, or active tribe. That is what is out there today.”

Bates said the gaming compacts with all tribes in New Mexico are up for reconsideration in 2010, which means that if Navajo does not have a casino in place by then, it will not have a place at the table.

“So it’s important that we get the casino up prior to that so we can sit at the table. What is in the best interest of all the other tribes within New Mexico also needs to be in the best interest of the Navajo Nation” he said.

Friday
January 18, 2008
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