Southern Utes Sue Colorado for Right to Statewide Wagering
Colorado’s Southern Ute Tribe July 8 revealed during an American Indian Affairs Interim Study Committee meeting that it has sued Colorado Governor Jared Polis and the state of Colorado in federal court. The tribe claims that the state has blocked its ability to offer digital sports betting.
Tribal chairman Melvin J. Baker invoked the recent decision by the US Supreme Court not to hear the West Flagler v. the US Dept. of the Interior case as clearing the way for the lawsuit. Baker said that because that case “held that the Seminole Tribe was entitled to engage in statewide sports betting in Florida. Any legal objection to the Southern Ute and Ute Mountain from engaging in statewide sports betting is gone.”
The tribe filed suit in the US District Court for the District of Colorado Monday. The court set an October 10 date for a scheduling and planning conference. From there, if the parties have not reached an agreement, the case would move forward in court.
Redding Rancheria Announces DOI Approval for Casino Relocation
California’s Redding Rancheria tribe has secured approval from the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) to relocate and expand its Win-River Resort and Casino to land it owns along Interstate 5 near the Sacramento River. The DOI’s approval to transfer the land into federal trust was handed down July 1 and announced by the tribe July 9.
The tribe has been attempting to finalize the controversial relocation for several years but has met staunch pushback from local residents and groups due to environmental concerns and other issues. Shortly after the tribe’s announcement, the opposition group Speak Up! Shasta said in a statement,” We are going nowhere — and neither is that casino.”
The current property features 60,000 square feet of gaming space and 84 hotel rooms, but the new development will feature a 69,500-square-foot casino, 250 hotel rooms, a convention center and a 132,000-square-foot retail center.
The tribe said in its announcement that while it is confident that the DOI’s decision was “thorough, sound, and in compliance with federal law,” it would not be surprised if there are further legal challenges, lamenting that roadblocks “are, unfortunately, common in Indian Country.”
Study: Those Living Near Casinos Live Longer
A July study from the National Bureau of Economic Research showed that Native American men living near a newly opened casino have a 7.4 percent lower mortality rate than men living in areas without casinos. The study also shows that in tribal areas where cash transfers are available, Native American women have a 9 percent lower mortality rate than their counterparts who don’t have a casino nearby.
The study compared the probability of death in areas with and without casinos. Researchers used Medicare data from 1999-2018. Approximately 80% of the sample group was identified as Native American, and 20% were from other backgrounds.
Check Out the New Chicken Ranch Casino Resort
Modesto Bee reporters share an insider look at the new Chicken Ranch Casino Resort in Northern California. The property, scheduled to open Monday, will have 175 rooms and 22 suites, including the “Mother Plucker,” which features a pool table and balcony overlooking the pool. The property will also have a Wahlburger’s with a twist – the restaurant will serve Chicken Ranch’s signature ranch dressing.
