Navajo Nation casinos generate another $10 million for chapter communities

Tuesday, May 22, 2018  

Gaming continues to benefit communities on the Navajo Nation.

The tribe's four casinos generated another $10 million for the tribe's distribution fund, the Navajo Nation Council announced last week. The money will go to the 110 chapters, a form of local government, on the reservation.

“We want all of our communities throughout the Navajo Nation to benefit from the success of the Gaming Enterprise,” Council Delegate Tom Chee said at a ceremony on Friday, May 18, when the check was presented by the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise.

“Without the great work of the enterprise employees and the board members, we would not be at this level of performance," said Chee, who represents a chapter in New Mexico that hosts one of the tribe's casinos. "I am very grateful to the enterprise for their contribution to our people.”

Navajo leaders said the $10 million was the largest single contribution since the tribe got into gaming. The fund saw $2.2 million in 2016, $1 million in 2013 and $5 million in 2013, The Farmington Daily-Times reported.

At first, only host chapters received a share of gaming funds. In 2015, the council amended the distribution plan to include all chapters.

The tribe operates three gaming facilities in New Mexico and one in Arizona.

Read More on the Story:
Navajo gaming distributes $10M to tribal fund (The Farmington Daily-Times May 22, 2018)