Fellow tribes against Jemez Pueblo off-reservation casino

Monday, June 13, 2011  

The New Mexico Indian Gaming Association is opposing the Jemez Pueblo off-reservation casino.

NMIGA submitted comments to the draft environmental impact statement that was released by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Mark Chino, the president of the Mescalero Apache Nation, said the gaming site is too far from the Jemez Reservation and the casino wouldn't benefit the tribe.

"First of all, we don't believe that the project is going to benefit the people of the Jemez Pueblo, because as we argued back then that the developer is the one that appears to be the major beneficiary of the project as opposed to the Pueblo of Jemez and the people of Jemez," Chino told the Associated Press.

The Mescalero Apache Nation operates a casino near the Jemez Pueblo site in southern New Mexico.

Get the Story:
New Mexico tribes line up against new casino (AP 6/11)

Federal Register Notice:
Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Pueblo of Jemez 70.277-Acre Fee-to-Trust Transfer and Casino Project, Don˜ a Ana County, NM (April 8, 2011)

Related Stories:
Racetrack lobbyist criticizes report on Jemez Pueblo casino (6/10)
New Mexico governor stays open to off-reservation casino (6/7)
BIA extends comment period on Jemez Pueblo casino plan (6/6)
Groups opposed to Jemez Pueblo off-reservation casino (5/31)
Editorial: Jemez off-reservation casino deserves a chance (4/18)