Nathan Small, chairman of the Fort Hall Business Council of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, lost his office and liquor sales were approved at a future casino in the recent elections at the Fort Hall Indian Reservation in Idaho.
Small lost to new Fort Hall Business Council member Marcus Coby, who received the most votes at 547. Small came in fifth with 314 votes. Small had served on the council for eight years and held the position of chairman since 2009. He helped the Shoshone-Bannock Tribe open its first gaming operation, where he served as gaming manager from 1990 to 1998. Small actively pursued state legislation to stop the spread of historical racing machines, which Governor C. L. “Butch” Otter vetoed. He had told lawmakers tribal gaming operations went through “years of discussion” before gaining state approval and then were “heavily regulated” at the state and federal levels. “It does not appear to me that there is anywhere close to this type of regulation on the instant racing casinos,” Small said.
Voters also approved liquor sales at the planned new $35.2 million Fort Hall casino and the existing event center. In 2012, Fort Hall voters approved the sale of beer and wine at the Fort Hall Hotel and Event Center. Now the recent vote will allow hard liquor sales at the hotel and event center and the new casino, which will be attached to the center. The existing casino will become a bingo hall.
Earlier this year, under the Tribal Elections Act, the council approved an amendment allowing “same-day” voter registration for tribal members over age 21 who have maintained a legal residence for at least one year on the Fort Hall Reservation. The tribal election board said 70 new tribal members registered on election day, May 29.
