The Spokane Tribe of Washington state has applied to the Bureau of Indian Affairs to put 155 vacant acres adjacent to its Spokane Tribe Casino and to the city of Airway Heights.
The tribe has declined to state what it hopes to develop on the site, although the application to the BIA is for a non-gaming use.
Currently the land, although owned by the tribe, is not sovereign land, and so is subject to state and county land use regulations—and taxation.
Spokane County Commissioner Al French, told the Spokesman-Review “More than likely it will be approved, because there would be no reason not to approve it, with a casino approved just right next door and sharing a common property line.”
French added, “There’s no chance of ever stopping what they want to do. The Bureau of Indian Affairs and secretary of the interior is motivated to do everything they can to provide financial stability to the tribes. I don’t have any issue with that at all, God bless them, that’s terrific.”
Some, like French, are concerned that the nearby Fairchild Air Force Base might be adversely impacted by the expansion. And to make sure the tribe pays for county services for the new development.
