New Mexico state police continued to maintain a presence at the Fort Sill Apache Tribe's casino site on Thursday.
Officers weren't blocking anyone from entering the tribe's 30-acre trust parcel. But Gov. Bill Richardson (D) says he will take action if gaming activities take place there [Press Release].
Richardson cited a letter from the National Indian Gaming Commission
to the Oklahoma tribe. In it, NIGC's acting general counsel warned of enforcement action if gaming was to take place at the site [Letter].
Fort Sill Apache Chairman Jeff Houser noted that the letter was based only a "preliminary" review of the legal status of the land. The tribe has previously reached a settlement with the federal government in which the site is to be treated as eligible for gaming [PDF]
Houser accused Richardson of harassment and predicted victory in federal courts.
Under a recent case from the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, the state of Kansas was rebuked for entering an off-reservation gaming site owned by the Wyandotte Nation of Oklahoma.
The gaming site near Deming in southern New Mexico was taken into trust in 2001. At the time, the tribe did not say it was to be used for a casino.
Houser is maintaining a YouTube site with videos about the controversy [YouTube].
Get the Story:All bets off: Feds threaten action if Akela casino opens (The Las Cruces Sun-News 2/29)
Federal gaming agency urges end to casino fight (The Oklahoman 2/29)
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Police Stand By At Casino Site (The Albuquerque Journal 2/29)
Gov. Bill Richardson works to stop opening of bingo parlor (AP 2/29)
