Ute Tribe in Utah interested in off-reservation casino in Colorado

Tuesday, September 27, 2011  

The Ute Tribe of Utah is in discussions for an off-reservation casino in Colorado.

The tribe's reservation crosses into Colorado and ends near the town of Dinosaur. A predevelopment agreement calls for the tribe and the town to spend $10,000 on a feasibility study for a casino.

“The economy in Dinosaur is not good,” town attorney Ed Sands told The Craig Daily Press. “And, council members have been looking for ways to generate a healthier economy.”

The predevelopment agreement anticipates a land-into-trust to the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The reservation ends about two miles before Dinosaur.

“Its close proximity to reservation land makes the BIA’s approval of the land trust more likely,” Sands told the paper.

The tribe does not have a gaming compact with the state of Colorado.

Get the Story:
Ute tribe, Dinosaur consider cooperating on casino (AP 9/26)
Dinosaur Town Council, Ute tribe exploring casino project agreement (The Craig Daily Press 9/24)