Fort Sill Apache Tribe calls New Mexico casino a test

Thursday, January 10, 2008  

The Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma says its Class II facility in New Mexico is a "test" to determine whether there's a market for gaming.

Chairman Jeff Houser said the tribe might move to a full-blown casino if the facility is a success. "If it doesn't work, we'll take the trailers back to Oklahoma," Houser told The Albuquerque Journal.

The tribe is building on a 30-acre site on a major interstate in southern New Mexico. The land was placed in trust in 2001, Houser said.

"What this all means is we believe our trust lands are legally available for gaming," Houser told the paper.

It's not clear whether the land was taken into trust for gaming purposes. Houser appeared to be claiming that the tribe acquired the land as part of a settlement -- meaning it might qualify for an exception under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

Get the Story:
Oklahoma Tribe Plans Bingo Parlor in N.M. (The Albuquerque Journal 1/10)