Lawmakers want more time on Navajo Nation casino compact



Lawmakers in New Mexico are seeking more time to review a new Class III gaming compact with the Navajo Nation.

The Committee on Compacts voted 11-4 on Tuesday to advance the deal. But lawmakers with tribes in their districts said they are being forced to make a final decision with just a day left in the session.

“I need time. I want time. I want to hear from my constituents, as well … how it impacts them,” Rep. James Roger Madalena (D), who represents four tribes with casinos, told The Albuquerque Journal.

The tribe's current compact expires in 2015. The new one runs through 2037 and would require the tribe to share up to 10.75 percent of gaming revenues with the state.

The deal addresses other issues, such as "free play" and Internet gaming that could impact talks with other tribes.

Get the Story:
Navajo gambling pact may be in limbo (The Albuquerque Journal 3/15)

Related Stories
Navajo Nation gaming pact reviewed by New Mexico lawmakers (3/13)

Join the Conversation