Bills in Texas legalize gaming for Tigua Tribe

Monday, February 26, 2007  

Bills pending in the Texas Legislature would legalize gaming for the Tigua Tribe in El Paso.

The tribe operated a Class III casino until it was shut down by the state. In hopes of changing federal law to authorize gaming, the tribe was duped out of $4.2 million by convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

The tribe is now hoping for a change in state law. But the tribe is also looking to develop a casino on land on the New Mexico-Texas border.

"We'll build a casino in New Mexico and put the parking lot in Texas," Tigua Gov. Art Senclair told The El Paso Times.

The tribe has filed a land-into-trust application for 10 acres in New Mexico, where the tribe's ancestors lived prior to moving to present-day El Paso.

Get the Story:
Bills allow gambling's return to Tigua casino (The El Paso Times 2/26)