The governor of Arizona, Doug Ducey is seeking to modernize the existing gaming compact with state tribes, and has offered to allow at least 10 tribes to expand their gaming opportunities.
In a statement made earlier this week, Ducey said: “It’s time for us to modernize this compact to meet the changing needs of the state and to increase the opportunities for tribal gaming.”
Under the terms of the updated compact, the Tohono O’odham Nation will be allowed operate full-fledged gambling at its casino in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale and more keno games and poker tables will be allowed in the existing casino.
The Tohono O’odham Nation has still not agreed to sign the expanded compact, said the governor’s office. Those tribes who have given the green light for the signing of the compact include the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, the Tonto Apache Tribe, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, the White Mountain Apache Tribe, the Hualapai Tribe, the Havasupai Tribe, the Gila River Indian Community and Navajo Nation.
According to Bernadine Burnette, president of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, the expansion “signifies the state’s respect to engage in meaningful government-to-government negotiations with Fort McDowell and other Arizona tribes to plan for and to ensure the future of tribal gaming in our state.”
Last year, a federal appeals court panel ruled that a law designed to block the Tohono O’odham Nation’s plans to build a new casino in Glendale was unconstitutional. The ruling also stated that the tribe was free to ask for more land it owns in Glendale to be taken into federal trust as a reservation. The tribe went on to open the casino without full state approval or licensing.
Governor Ducey said that the Tohono O’odham Nation was “welcome at the table”
“They’ve been invited and we think that that will be what happens,” he said. “We’ve reached out to them throughout the process.”
Arizona is still embroiled in a legal battle with the tribe regarding the Glendale Casino. In the past it has enjoyed a string of judicial victories, and may still receive permission from a US District Court Judge to operate a full-scale casino at the Glendale site.
Gubernatorial legal counsel for the state Michael Liburdi stated: “As the governor has said, he’s interested in doing the business of the state with as little legal activity as possible.”
“The way we view this is the Tohono O’odham Nation gets what they want: the casino in Glendale,” he continued. “Allow them to have what they want and let’s move forward with a new compact where all sides in the state could benefit and the state of Arizona could benefit.”
