Three weeks ago the Yakama tribal council fired the three-woman board of directors of the Yakama Nation Legends Casino in Washington state.
The council accused the board of mismanaging the casino’s $90 million expansion project and not communicating with the tribal council.
The casino continues to operate without a board, whose former members are Shay-Anne Spencer, Portia Shields and Leanne Umtuch.
According to tribal Chairman JoDe Goudy, he and two other members of the tribal executive committee have taken over day-to-day management of the casino. According to Goudy his team has 20 years of combined gaming experience.
A copy of the committee action includes accusations of “gross mismanagement of the Casino enterprise and the Casino expansion project, repeatedly acting outside the scope of their authorized powers and duties, failing to maintain full and proper communication with the Tribal Council, General Council and the Gaming Commission, and engaging in misconduct in violation of Tribal Law … ”
The expansion project has been proceeding for almost a year. It includes a 200-room hotel, more gaming space, expanding dining and a new and improved events center. Projected date for completion is next summer, although the hotel will open before the end of this year.
Mini-earthquakes have been going on within the tribal political scene for several months. Last year two members of the tribe’s general council were suspended for overstepping their authority.
One of the ousted members, Shay-Anne Spencer, says she was fired for political reasons. Last week she told the Yakima Herald, “They didn’t provide any evidence. I don’t even have anything to defend myself against. I wholly deny any wrongdoing or violation of any laws.” Spencer claims that the executive committee doesn’t have the authority to dismiss the board because the casino is set up as an independent corporation. The tribal members elect the board members. Spencer is in the middle of a two-year term.
So far Tribal Chairman Goudy has not responded to requests for more information, saying the dismissal was an internal matter.
