Fort Sill casino a 'federal' issue in New Mexico

Friday, July 24, 2009  

It doesn't look like the state of New Mexico will be getting involved in a dispute between the Fort Sill Apache Tribe and the National Indian Gaming Commission.

In February 2008, Gov. Bill Richardson (D) sent state troopers to the tribe's Apache Homelands Entertainment Center to stop people from going to the site. But the state Department of Public Safety doesn't plan on repeating that affair.

"We don't have any plans to intervene at this point, because it's a federal issue," a spokesperson told The Albuquerque Journal.

But Richardson does support the closure of the facility. He agrees with the NIGC that the tribe is operating the casino in violation of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

The tribe will fight the decision. "The fairest way to get a hearing on the merits of our project under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act is in a courtroom," Chairman Jeff Houser told the Journal.

Get the Story:
Fort Sill Apaches Continue Bingo Games (The Albuquerque Journal 7/24)