Northern Arapaho Tribe in conflict over fate of top gaming executive

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Leaders of the Northern Arapaho Tribe are in disagreement about the employment status of their long-serving gaming executive.

According to Chairman Lee Spoonhunter, Wind River Hotel and Casino CEO Jim Conrad's last on the job is June 30. A letter states that Conrad's contract will end on that date following an independent review of the facility's operations.

"Change is often difficult," Spoonhunter told tribal citizens in the letter. "Ensuring accountability is usually resisted. But both change and accountability are essential."

But some members of the business council told The Riverton Ranger, which broke the story last week, that Spoonhunter wasn't authorized to tell Conrad that his time is up. They instead called a vote to renew the contract, the paper reported.

The outcome of the vote, however, was tied at 3-3, according to the paper, so it's not clear what will happen to Conrad, who was the subject of an online petition calling for his removal. The petition was drafted after a round of layoffs in 2016. He has worked at the casino since 2005.

Despite the drama, the independent assessment found that financial operations at the casino were sound, The Ranger reported. The facility is "profitable," although challenges were cited in relation to the workforce, the paper said.

"Story after story was relayed about how most applicants for jobs do not possess phones that are consistently turned on, how applicants often don't show up for work, how many of them fail random drug tests, how many have never held a job before and do not have rudimentary skills in math or other subjects that are necessary for jobs in a casino," consulting firm Spectrum Gaming Group wrote in the assessment, The Ranger reported.

The tribe, on the other hand, is experiencing financial troubles. The paper reported last month on a $5 million deficit in the budget, which prompted the business council to cut the work week for governmental employees to 32 hours.