In a move that caught some Arizona tribes off guard, the Glendale City Council recently voted 4-3 to oppose federal legislation that would block the Tohono O’odham Nation’s proposed 0 million West Valley Resort and Casino. Soon after the vote, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community issued a press release noting that numerous area mayors do not want the casino and support HR 1410, which currently is awaiting Senate action.
The vote does not end Glendale’s opposition to the Tohono O’odham’s plans, and the city still is pursuing several lawsuits in federal court to block the casino project.
Sponsored by Republican U.S. Rep. Trent Franks of Glendale, HR 1410 would retroactively amend the 1986 law that allowed the tribe to purchase the land where the development would be built, and would ban any gambling operations there until at least 2027.
Councilman Gary Sherwood cast the deciding vote, noting the battle against the casino already had cost the city $3 million in legal fees although tribe has won 13 straight legal decisions. Sherwood added HR 1410 was impractical because the tribe could “just sit on the land until 2027.” Councilman Ian Hugh added, “It’s just a pile of dirt. We want that land to develop.”
Tohono O’odham officials have said HR 1410 was designed to protect the market share of two tribes who operate casinos in the area, including the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. Mayors from Apache Junction and Fountain Hills have joined the mayors of Scottsdale, Tempe, Litchfield Park, Gilbert and Glendale in supporting the legislation.
Formal negotiations between the city and the tribe began last October, although the tribe had sought talks with Glendale since the casino project was announced in January 2009. The two sides have discussed economic development, services and facility layout plans.
The West Valley Resort is expected to create more than 3,000 permanent jobs and generate more than $300 million in annual economic impact.
Tohono O’odham Nation Chairman Ned Norris, Jr. said, “On behalf of the Nation, I applaud the Glendale City Council for taking these important steps towards partnership, job creation and positive economic development. The Nation looks forward to working with Glendale leaders and staff to find a way for us to move forward together for the benefit of the entire West Valley.”
Gary Bohnee, legislative and government affairs assistant for the Salt River Community, said the 2002 voter-approved measure that gave tribes the exclusive right to operate casinos in Arizona included the promise that there would be no more gaming sites than the ones that existed then. Bohnee stated HR 1410 simply was “clarifying” that intent.
