Proposed Airway Heights Casino Could Have National Implications ; Federal Officials in Spokane Today to Talk with Tribes; Changes to Regulation Would Have Far-Reaching Implications for the Expansion of Tribal Gaming

U.S. Newswire › September 23, 2010

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SPOKANE, Wash., Sept. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- A 2.2 million square foot off-reservation casino complex proposed by the Spokane Tribe of Indians could become the litmus test for changes being contemplated by the federal government to existing regulations that guide where and how Indian tribes can develop casinos beyond the boundaries of their reservations. Today's meeting in Spokane between tribal leaders from across the region and officials from the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) may lead to significant changes in how the government enforces the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 (IGRA) and what role state, local, and tribal governments will have in that process.

Today's meeting in Spokane is the first of six scheduled consultation meetings between tribal officials and the DOI between now and the end of November, 2010, to discuss those regulations that limit the ability for Indian tribes to develop off-reservation casinos. Among the issues being discussed is how the DOI should evaluate the potential impacts of a proposed off-reservation casino on the surrounding community, and to what extent those impacts should limit off-reservation casino developments.

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Proposed Airway Heights Casino Could Have National Implications ; Federal Officials in Spokane Today to Talk with Tribes; Changes to Regulation Would Have Far-Reaching Implications for the Expansion of Tribal Gaming

Off-reservation gaming is generally prohibited under federal law. In order to pursue its proposed casino, the Spokane Tribe will need to be granted a rare exception by the federal government. Since 1988, very ...

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