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Tohono O'odham Nation returns to court in Class III gaming fight
Thursday, December 15, 2016
The Tohono O'odham Nation can only offer Class II games at the new Desert Diamond West Valley Casino and Resort in Glendale, Arizona, due to an ongoing dispute with the state. Photo from Facebook
The Tohono O'odham Nation doesn't seem any closer to offering Class III gaming at its new casino in Arizona.
The tribe returned to federal court on Wednesday to assert its rights but a judge declined to resolve the case, Capitol Media Services reported. That leaves the Desert Diamond West Valley
Casino and Resort in limbo a year after it opened to the public on December 20, 2015.
The facility can offer Class II games but the state refuses to certify it for slot machines and other Class III games. The tribe's lawsuit is an attempt to force the state to recognize its rights.
The state has since proposed a compact that would authorize Class III games at the casino while barring additional facilities in the Phoenix area. The tribe has not yet agreed to the deal, which was drafted without its input.
The casino is located in Glendale, a suburb on the west side of Phoenix. The state believes the tribe promised not to pursue gaming in the area but the courts have rejected that argument repeatedly.
Read More on the Story:
Judge doesn't order OK of Glendale gambling but will hear arguments
(Capitol Media Services 12/14)
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