Due to a rise in Covid-19 cases, Naskila Gaming, the electronic bingo facility operated by the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas in Livingston, closed on Monday, November 2, for two weeks until Monday, November 16. Tribal chairwoman Cecelia Flores said, “Given the increase in Covid-19 cases in Texas and our surrounding counties, we want to make sure we do all we can to protect our guests and employees. We will continue to support our employees, just as we did when we closed earlier this year. Our tribal council feels very strongly that protecting the health of the community is our top priority.”
Polk County’s second largest employer, Naskila will continue to pay salaries and benefits for employees during the closure, as it did earlier this year. The venue reopened September 10, requiring face masks, social distancing and other health and safety protocols. Flores said, “We know that Naskila is a driver of economic activity in the East Texas region. A 2-week shutdown with pay and benefits for our 700 team members balances our region’s economic needs with protecting the public health. Just like other businesses and schools, we want to do our part to help keep this community safe and not add to the strain our local hospitals are currently experiencing.”
Meanwhile, the state continues its efforts to close Naskila and an electronic bingo venue in El Paso owned by the Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo, which employs 1,000 people. Livingston-Polk County Chamber of Commerce Board Chairman Jared Jernigan said, “We need our elected leaders to care about jobs in East Texas as much as they care about jobs in Waco,” where a new Amazon fulfillment center will open. “East Texas should not be taken for granted. Families who depend on Naskila for their paycheck do not understand why some of our elected leaders are not trying to save these job,” he said.
In July 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation sponsored by Texas Rep. Brian Babin noting electronic bingo is allowed at a Kickapoo venue in Eagle Pass and therefore also should be allowed at the Livingston and El Paso facilities. The bill has not moved to the U.S. Senate—in fact, Governor Greg Abbott and U.S. Sen. John Cornyn both have spoken out against the bill. State Rep. James White said, “Our U.S. senators can step up and deliver a major victory for private-sector jobs in East Texas by passing Congressman Babin’s bill before the end of this year. We need these jobs.”
In addition, more than 70 civic, business and political groups have passed formal resolutions and statements supporting Babin’s bill to save Naskila. And in August, 19 members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas sent Cornyn a letter urging him to help the bill move forward. It stated, “These 1,700 jobs represent 1,700 families, who need the certainty of the legislation to know that they will be able to afford their mortgage/rent, can put food on the table and support their children’ s needs. Roughly 60 percent of these jobs are filled by non-tribal members, and we estimate the total economic impact for the passage of H.R. 759 would be $645 million annually in and around El Paso and Livingston, Texas, two areas of the state that traditionally have high unemployment rates even before the pandemic.”
Also, in the past two months, visitors to Naskila Gaming have sent more than 14,000 letters to Cornyn and U.S. Senator Ted Cruz in support of the venue.
Polk County Republican Party Chairman Fred Grube said, “Texans support Naskila Gaming, even if some Texas politicians do not. Without Naskila, a lot of dollars that are spent in Texas will be spent in Louisiana and other places. This is a critical time for our region and East Texans are very concerned that our elected leaders are not helping us.”
