Analysis: Tigua Tribe's gaming bill on 'life support'

Thursday, April 16, 2009

"Events late last week have left the Tigua’s hope of reopening Speaking Rock Casino any time soon hanging by a thread.

On Friday, the El Paso Times quoted state Rep. Norma Chavez, D-El Paso, saying that the tribe’s efforts this session are “not salvageable” due to what state Rep. Pete Gallego, D-Alpine, called “insurmountable obstacles.”

Chavez elaborated to the Times on Saturday that the problem lay with the criminal background of Tigua Gov. Frank Paiz, which made it politically impossible for other lawmakers in Austin to vote for legislation allowing the tribe to resume gambling.

The Times’ Friday article was titled, “Tiguas hopes to restart gambling dies: legislation not ‘salvageable,’” while the Saturday article said that, “The Tiguas' efforts to restart their casino are dead yet again, lawmakers said Friday.”

However NPT has learned that the Tigua’s chances are still alive -- albeit on life support. Here’s a summary of information NPT has gathered so far from sources in Austin."

Get the Story:
Analysis: The message sent and received, Chavez and the Tiguas struggle for options (Newspaper Tree 4/13)

Another Story:
Stimulus hindered casino bill, some say (The El Paso Times 4/16)