Panel at Global Gaming Expo addresses growth of tribal casinos

Friday, October 7, 2011  

The Indian gaming industry has grown by leaps and bounds in the last 23 years but the economy and market saturation remain issues, according to a panel at the Global Gaming Expo on Thursday.

Charles "Chief" Boyd, a member of the Cherokee Nation who is a partner with Thalden Boyd Emery Architects, talked about the strong tribal gaming market in his state. "We have matured a great deal with over 130 casinos in Oklahoma," he said, The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.

Tribal gaming revenues in Oklahoma have continued to grow in the last couple of years even as the rest of the industry was hit by the recession. "The market has reached a certain level of saturation," observed Rochanne Hackett, managing director of National Gaming Development with Wells Fargo Bank.

Arizona has taken a hit but the Pascua Yaqui Tribe is about to debut a $130 million casino expansion. "We didn't get overleveraged during the boom, so we can make this long-term investment to benefit the community," said Mark Birtha, the president and chief development officer of Sol Casinos, the Review-Journal reported.

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G2E 2011: Panel says tribal casinos have thrived (The Las Vegas Review-Journal 10/7)