The Spokane Tribe of Washington and the U.S. Air Force are both denying a claim in a lawsuit that seeks to prevent a casino from being built near the Fairchild Air Force Base that the 0 million casino would impair the base’s ability to operate. The casino is scheduled to open this August.
The lawsuit was filed by Spokane County and the rival Kalispel Tribe, which operates three miles from where the Airway Heights casino would be located.
A spokesman for the base, Colonel Christopher Karns, told the Spokesman-Review: “There are sometimes safety, noise and light pollution concerns, and encroachment also can be a concern. “He added, “But there is a strong belief by us that all of our concerns can be completely mitigated by the Spokane Tribe.”
The Air Force made this point previously during the environmental review of the project, when it called the casino’s possible impacts on the base “insignificant.” The Air Force considers itself neutral on the subject.
However, Spokane County is moving forward with its lawsuit, which also claims that the casino would harm other business in the area, and could lead to the Air Force relocating the base, thus harming the local economy. The county has opposed the casino from the start. The Department of the Interior last year put the land into trust, with the approval of Washington Governor Jay Inslee, whose approval was required for putting a casino off a reservation.
