The tribal state compact signed between Hopi Chairman Herman G. Honanie on his last day in office and Arizona Governor Doug Ducey will for the first time allow the tribe to operate up to 900 Class III slot machines. The signing occurred November 30.
The Hopi were the last of Arizona’s 22 tribes to sign such a compact. The compact is good for 20 years.
Holanie declared, “Because the Hopi Tribe faces such an uncertain financial future, I believe providing opportunities and a path to prosperity for our people is of the highest importance. Having a gaming compact gives our tribe the opportunity to generate millions of dollars in much-needed revenue and a way to join our sister tribes in sharing the financial success gaming has meant all across Indian country.”
Holanie’s successor, Tim Nuvangyaoma, sounded nonplused about the decision that was handed to him. He said he was surprised. “If the people decide to go that direction this time — and you have to remember it’s been defeated twice by our Hopi people based on our history and our culture, but we’re at a different time now, I don’t know if they’ll take a different position on it but that’s up to the people to decide.”
The tribe voted in 1995 and 2004 to oppose gaming. However, at that time the tribe had an assured revenue stream from a natural gas mine that will be forced to shut because its main customer, the Navajo Generating Station will close in 2019.
The new president told the Navajo-Hopi Observer, “I think with the potential of the NGS closure, which is real, we need to have as many options on the table as we can and find out what’s going to be our best revenue source (and) what’s more short term. This is coming to an end pretty quick. We are rolling into 2018 right now, they’re expecting that (closure) to happen in 2019, so we need to start looking at something that’s going to produce revenue,” he said. “It’s going to be a tough task. It’s not going to be easy. I informed the people during my campaign that it may get worse before it gets better, but we have to have all the options on the table.”
