In a move that completes the city Glendale, Arizona’s 180-degree turn on the Tohono O’odham’s proposed 0 million casino on reservation land, the city council recently voted 4-3 to approve a deal with the tribe that will generate million for the city over 20 years. The tribe will pay Glendale 0,000 within 10 days of the signing of the agreement. Annual payments will start at .4 million and be paid six months after gaming begins. The payments will increase 2 percent annually until 2026.At that point, the payment will drop to 0,000, increasing 2 percent annually for 10 years.
The agreement also calls for the tribe to pay for its own infrastructure on the site and provide its own police and fire protection. It also will pay Glendale for off-site improvements and water services. In return, Glendale will drop its legal claims against the tribe and urge Arizona’s congressional delegation to oppose legislation that would prohibit the casino.
Council members heard dozens of residents’ comments—fairly evenly split for and against the casino–during the sometimes-heated four-and-a-half-hour meeting. Some speakers said the casino would increase crime and lead to further gambling addiction. Ron Rockwell, pastor of the Harvest Church near the casino site, said he felt “betrayed and disappointed that several council members gave up the good fight” against the casino.
Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers said, “The citizens haven’t even gotten an opportunity to really understand what’s going on, and we’re basically just going to just ride right on top of them. Where’s the transparency you keep hearing about? It’s certainly not here.” Councilman Manny Martinez added the council could have landed a better deal. “What we are being presented with tonight is peanuts compared to what other cities have negotiated,” he said.
Proponents said the casino would bring entertainment, jobs and much-needed revenue to Glendale. Yucca District Councilman Sam Chavira, whose area that includes the casino site, said, “This is a fair deal. The property does not belong to us, yet not one subsidy, not one cent will be coming from the city.” The Reverend Jarrett Maupin said since the city opposed the tribe for years, “These are peace talks. You lost the war.”
After fighting against the casino for more than four years, last year the city council voted to start negotiations with the tribe, and last month it voted to end its opposition to the casino.
Following the vote, Tohono O’odham Nation Chairman Ned Norris Jr. said, “I’m pleased. You never take anything for granted. There’s always going to be opportunities for someone to make changes.”
He said tribal officials will meet as soon as possible to discuss a construction timetable. The development could open in 2016 barring court rulings or a congressional resolution requiring the parties to abide by a previous gaming compact between Arizona and its Indian tribes. However, a Senate committee has not scheduled a vote and Congress is in its annual summer recess.
The southern Arizona tribe bought the casino site in 2003 to replace land flooded by the Painted Rock Dam about 30 years ago. The federal government approved the tribe’s application to take the land into trust last month.
The Tohono O’odham casino is expected to create 3,000 new jobs.
