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Editorial: Questions about Shingle Springs casino (12/22)

"The big question remains, can gambling revenues continue to grow in a deepening recession? Historically, gambling has been more resistant to recession than other businesses, but the nation's current massive downturn is beginning to challenge...

Letter: Stop meddling with Seminole casinos (12/22)

"Why don't little Billy McCollum and his silly cronies pack up their toys and go home? They need to back off on their actions against the Seminole tribe and the casinos and gaming offered there....

Editorial: Revenue sharing a must in Seminole deal (12/19)

"Desperate times call for desperate measures. Facing a budgetary abyss, the Florida House of Representatives this week convened a legislative panel to resolve the stalled gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe. It wasn't that long...

Editorial: Negotiate deal with Seminole Tribe (12/16)

"Florida should try to get as much income from gambling as possible but expand gambling as little as possible. A year ago, Gov. Crist signed an agreement with the Seminole Tribe that allowed Las Vegas-style...

North Fork Chair: Casino will boost economy (12/15)

"The proposed North Fork destination hotel and casino resort will immediately jump start our region's faltering economy by providing nearly $2.5 billion in economic activity over the next 20 years - if it's given a...

Editorial: Tribes get it right by sharing casino wealth (12/15)

"Tribal casinos usually play by a different set of rules than other casinos in their states. That may be a good thing if the revenue sharing system of these tribal casinos is to be believed....

Column: 'Curious cash flow' at First Nations casino (12/11)

"When the Dakota Dunes casino opened to great fanfare last summer, the biggest challenge appeared to be handling the crowds. There were so many people trying to get in that some customers had trouble...

Opinion: California tribes destroy charities (12/09)

"The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors just acted to comply with a new law banning electronic forms of charity bingo – one the Legislature crammed through in 11 days at the end of the 2008...

Editorial: Resist more liquor at Connecticut casinos (12/08)

"Faced with a drop of as much as 9 percent in revenues this year, Connecticut’s two Indian casinos have come up with a bright idea: they want to serve alcohol 24 hours a day, which...

Column: No special liquor rules for tribal casinos (12/05)

"By 1 a.m., Foxwoods, like the rest of Connecticut's drinking establishments, had gone dry. The gambling, though, continued merrily on, and MGM, like the rest of Foxwoods, was surprisingly awake, if not exactly busy, so...

Editorial: Navajo Nation rolls the dice with casino (12/05)

"The Navajo Nation opened its first casino on Nov. 19. So now what? That will be an interesting question to follow for a long time, as simply opening the doors to a new casino does...

Column: Pequot casino dream a nightmare lawsuit (12/03)

"Christopher Pearson, the former Mashantucket Pequot tribal executive accused of bilking fellow tribal members out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in a Honduran casino development scheme, is scheduled to go on trial next month...

Editorial: Reconsider North Fork casino location (12/02)

"The effort to build a $250 million casino on Highway 99 north of Madera has been slowed by the downturn in the economy. This gives the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians an opportunity to...

Editorial: Limit liquor at Connecticut casinos (12/01)

"A proposal that would allow Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun to sell alcohol around the clock instead of abiding by state limits of 1 a.m. on weeknights and 2 a.m. on weekends could almost serve up...

Editorial: Seminole Tribe the victor in gaming fight (12/01)

"The Seminole Tribe has upped the ante in the fight over expanded gambling in defiance of the Florida Supreme Court. By rolling out blackjack and other table games at Tampa's Seminole Hard Rock Casino earlier...

Editorial: Southern Ute Tribe adds to tourism (11/25)

"Last week, the Southern Ute Tribe opened its new Sky Ute Resort and Casino in Ignacio, Colo., adding to the local menu of go-to destinations. "We're a destination resort, but we're also a family...

Quechan President: Tribe open about casino project (11/24)

"There have been several stories in The Sun concerning the financing of the Quechan Casino Resort which did not contain factual information. The Quechan Nation normally does not respond to the local media but...

Letter: Gaming fight on Wind River Reservation (11/13)

"I would like to comment on news stories that were reported in the Riverton Ranger as it pertains to the Shoshone and Arapaho tribes and the controversy that it has caused within our communities: "Little...

Opinion: Let's make a big deal in Washington (11/12)

"“Do you want what’s in the box or what’s behind door number three?” That was the question put to contestants on the classic game show “Let’s Make A Deal.” Near the end of each show,...

Editorial: Maine voters reject casino, again (11/07)

"You come into Maine, spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a political and advertising campaign and leave empty-handed. Again. How long will it take before companies and the people behind them learn that Maine...

Editorial: Pokagon Band shouldn't keep interest (11/05)

"The Pokagon Band should be obliged to hand over accumulated interest on the nearly $20 million it is releasing to local units of government and the state of Michigan. The Potawatomi Indian tribe held onto...

Editorial: Illegal Seminole gambling in Florida (11/05)

"While the governor doesn’t seem to care about illegal gambling in our state, it seems the attorney general does. For that, Bill McCollum deserves the gratitude and support of Florida Baptists. Although Gov. Charlie Crist...

Opinion: Sen. McCain a pro-gaming candidate (10/31)

"Obama supporters may deride John McCain's claims to being a political maverick, but McCain has proved himself willing to buck the Republican Party once again on issues with which they disagree. The latest example is...

Opinion: Vote against tribal casino supporters (10/31)

"The voters in the city of Plymouth will once again have the opportunity on Nov. 4 to express their desires on the tribal casino proposed for Plymouth. Depending on how you count, this will be...

Editorial: Gambling on a new administration (10/28)

"The Menominee Nation has decided to gamble that a new administration in Washington will be more favorable to its proposal for a casino in Kenosha than the current head of the Department of the Interior....

Editorial: Casinos a bad deal for Ohio's economy (10/27)

"Even if you would like to see casinos in Ohio some day, the Issue 6 casino proposal on the Nov. 4 ballot deserves your "no" vote. It is a bad deal for Ohioans. Casino-style gambling...

Opinion: Quechan Nation's hypocrisy on casino (10/27)

"The Quechan Indian Reservation encompasses about 45,000 acres of land on both sides of the Colorado River west of Yuma. Under Tribal President Mike Jackson's leadership, the tribe lays claim to jurisdiction on "ancestral lands,"...

Biz Blog: Approve Menominee Nation casino (10/24)

"Anyone who has visited the Menominee Reservation in northern Wisconsin knows the grinding poverty that has devastated the Tribe, despite its best efforts to be the self-sufficient entity it once was. Now, new research identifies...

Editorial: Don't be a sucker for gaming in Ohio (10/22)

"If you have ever set foot in Wheeling Island, a Las Vegas casino or the area skill-game parlors, you know the basic rule of gambling: The house always wins. That being the case, why should...

Editorial: Still saying no to gaming in Maine (10/22)

"This newspaper has been firmly opposed to casinos and racinos in Maine. We have said it's a poor substitute for economic development, runs contrary to our interest in preserving the image of Maine and has...

Editorial: Oklahoma tribes keep growing in gaming (10/22)

"As head of the Chickasaw Nation’s business arm, Brian Campbell has seen huge growth in gaming and doesn’t expect it to abate any time soon. Apparently, gaming is one sure bet in these shaky economic...

Editorial: Casino issue a sucker's bet in Ohio (10/21)

"An official state analysis shows that the Clinton County casino initiative -- Issue 6 on the ballot -- could in fact free the casino from a promised casino tax. That undercuts a key promise: "free"...

Opinion: Casino question a slap in the face to tribes (10/20)

"I am not opposed to Question 2 - whether to allow a casino in Oxford County - on moral grounds. In fact I like the idea of new jobs for Mainers. As a Maine resident...

Editor's Noteboook: Shelter at Wind River Casino (10/20)

"Last week I was in Wyoming, driving westward on the southern edge of a big winter storm. For dozens of miles, sheets of snow arced across the still-dry pavement. After a long while, I made...

Opinion: Gambling not the only vice for politicians (10/17)

"About a 15-minute drive from my house in quaint northeastern Connecticut lies a towering green and white pseudo-metropolis of debauchery. Foxwoods Resort Casino, until last year the biggest casino in the world, is run by...

Opinion: Sen. McCain's link to anti-union casino (10/17)

"When scores of dealers and their supporters rallied at Connecticut’s Foxwoods Casino last May for their right to representation by United Auto Workers Region 9A, which they had voted for overwhelmingly, passersby were quick to...

Column: Regulation after casino bus crash (10/16)

"In Sacramento's immigrant neighborhoods last weekend, Laotian families celebrated ancient funeral rites, laying to rest elderly victims of a horrific bus crash that killed nine people on their way to a night of gambling at...

Editorial: Mashantucket union talks a good idea (10/15)

"During the weekend, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and United Auto Workers union officials announced an agreement had been reached to consider beginning contract negotiations for Foxwoods casino dealers under tribal laws while the tribe’s...

Editorial: A good start for Pequot-union talks (10/14)

"Compromise is a middle way between two extremes, and in the case of the United Auto Workers and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe it could be a means to an end. Late last week the UAW...

Column: Seminole casino a safe bet in slow times (10/10)

"The Dow dipped below 10,000 for the first time since 2004. Banks are failing. Oil prices are tanking. Gold and silver may prove to be lackluster solutions and the value of our dollar is despicable....

Column: NIGC asks Seminole Tribe about Class III (10/09)

"The biggest casino of all — Wall Street — is crumbling and our 401(k)s have become 201(k)s, but the chips keep flying at the blackjack and baccarat tables at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel &...

Column: No retaliation for union at Pequot casino (10/08)

"How tempting would it be, if you were the Mashantucket Pequots, to use the occasion of choosing the 700 employees you need to lay off from jobs at Foxwoods into a revenge crusade, targeting all...

Opinion: Connecticut casinos run out of suckers (10/08)

"Looks like the Indian casinos are running out of suckers. No, in case you haven't guessed, I'm not a gambler. Well, let's put it this way. I'm not a gambler with my money. I'll...

Navajo President: Tribes work together on gaming (10/06)

"In 1988, Congress passed the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, and beyond anyone's expectations the fate of Native people took a turn. IGRA offered freedom anew through financial independence, and, through that, returned a measure of...

Editorial: Connecticut tribes respond to economy (10/06)

"The delay of the largest phase of Mohegan Sun's four-year, $925 million expansion is a sign of the times. The sagging economy has meant less foot traffic at the casino resort and fewer profits for...

Editorial: Quechan Nation commits to future (10/02)

"While the debate goes on over a proposed events center in Yuma, progress is being made on a major step forward for the area's entertainment scene. The Quechan Tribe announced last week that its...

Column: John McCain, the tale of a gambling man (10/01)

"We've known for a while of John McCain's childhood connection to the region, where he lived for a short period when his father was serving a stint here as a Navy submarine commander. But it...

Gaming Guru: Tribal casino regulation in Michigan (10/01)

"Everyone is aware of the strict guidelines and operating procedures to which state-regulated casinos are held. But who sets the standards and controls for Native American properties? Casinos such as Four Winds Casino Resort...

Blog: 'Hatchet job' on McCain and Indian gaming (10/01)

"The New York Times, a shrill partisan voice, assails John McCain in yet another misleading, loaded-for-bear "expose." All in a day's work for the partisan gray lady. Not exactly your October Surprise, but close. Truth...

Opinion: Schwarzenegger leads gaming expansion (10/01)

"If there is one politician in the country that should be credited with the rapid growth of the casino industry in the United States, it is California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. He is signing Indian tribe...

Column: Connecticut casinos pass their peak (09/30)

"I remember the miserable, raw and rainy day in February 1992 when Foxwoods first opened, and, because the parking lots were overflowing, people just abandoned their cars by the side of the road and trudged...

Column: All is not well on Indian gaming front (09/29)

"The delay of a $734 million expansion at the Mohegan Sun casino in Connecticut says as much about the economic state of the gaming industry as the Aug. 1 announcement by Boyd Gaming Corp. that...

Editorial: 'Stonewalling' by Pokagon Band (09/25)

"Negotiations between the State of Michigan and the Pokagon Band of the Potawatomi Indians over revenue sharing payments due state and local governments from the tribe are still at impasse. And, the two sides are...

Editorial: Seminole Tribe's illegal gambling (09/25)

"Illegal gambling is occurring in the State of Florida thanks to an unauthorized agreement negotiated by Gov. Charlie Crist with the Seminole Tribe—even though the state’s Supreme Court has invalidated the compact. Incredibly, the governor—whose...

Editorial: Mohegan Tribe right to halt expansion (09/24)

"Almost two years ago, Mohegan Sun announced it was undertaking a nearly billion-dollar expansion of its resort casino, including a 39-story hotel tower. It seemed to indicate that the Mohegan Tribe would continue to change...

Editorial: IGRA shifts too much power to tribes (09/22)

"This fall marks a major milestone for the country and Michigan. Twenty years have passed since Congress approved the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). The act codified the conditions under which casinos can be built...

Rumsey Chair: California tribes regulate casinos (09/22)

"The Bee's editorial regarding tribal gaming failed to mention that the standards the California Gambling Control Commission seeks to impose unilaterally on tribes are duplicative, unnecessary and discriminatory. Ill-considered commentaries like The Bee's leave a...

Editorial: Approve Seminole Tribe's compact (09/22)

"The Florida Supreme Court issued a victory for House Speaker Marco Rubio in his tussle with Gov. Charlie Crist, ruling in July that Crist lacked the authority to approve a gambling compact with the Seminole...

Opinion: California tribes win compact case (09/19)

"In a win for California gaming tribes, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Aug. 9 revived two gaming device licensing suits brought by the Cachil DeHe Band of Wintun Indians of the Colusa Indian...

Opinion: Regulate casinos but don't take revenues (09/17)

"By now you’ve probably heard about Casino Chris. That’s what they’re calling Gov. Chris Gregoire in a new campaign ad. “$140 million,” the ad says. “That’s what the Indian casinos could have paid Washington state....

Editorial: Undermining gaming regulation in California (09/17)

"Why did Attorney General Jerry Brown side with Indian gaming tribes over his own regulatory partner, the California Gambling Control Commission? Does he genuinely believe that the vote, for a set of desperately needed...

Column: Mohegan Tribe tries luck in Pennsylvania (09/17)

"So there I was last weekend, driving down Route 81 in northeastern Pennsylvania, when, quite unexpectedly, I came upon a billboard for the Mohegan Sun. It was not advertising our own Mohegan Sun here in...

Editorial: Gaming tribes flex power in California (09/16)

"When charities went up against casino-owning Indian tribes in Sacramento recently, they got schooled in who wields the real political power. The outcome raises serious questions about whether Californians meant to forever guarantee tribes that...

Column: Surprisingly little crime at casinos (09/15)

"Sometimes I marvel at how little crime is actually generated at the region's two casinos, which even on a slow day, and there are plenty of slow days lately, can attract as many people as...

Editorial: Seminole Tribe still emerges as winner (09/15)

"Diplomats use the expression ''facts on the ground'' to refer to a situation where reality is different from what is true by law or in theory. The concept often is employed by the military when...

Editorial: Attack on Washington compacts absurd (09/15)

"The flogging of Gov. Chris Gregoire’s tribal gaming compact is quickly approaching the point of absurdity. News first broke in June that tribes were spending big to help Gregoire and other Democrats get elected this...

Editorial: Snoqualmie Casino a boost to community (09/12)

"Snoqualmie Casino is set to open its doors in less than two months to plenty of fan fare. While excitement looms over the opening, a bit of anxiety from residents and city officials of both...

Column: Alcohol a tough issue for Eastern Cherokees (09/12)

"Last month, the principal chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee, Michell Hicks, vetoed a Tribal Council resolution which would have allowed for a referendum vote on the question of alcohol sales at the...

Editorial: A sucker born every minute in Florida (09/11)

"It's kind of scary when you think about it, but "enhancing" education in Florida depends on the old adage that there's a sucker born every minute. But that may not much longer be true. For...

Editorial: Wait to negotiate Wampanoag compact (09/10)

"Gov. Deval L. Patrick, who pushed unsuccessfully for state licensing of three casinos last year, clearly has learned his lesson when it comes to casino gambling: Hedge your bets and remain patient. Mr. Patrick last...

Editorial: Tribes the latest scapegoat in Washington (09/09)

Ed. Note: Dino Rossi, the Republican candidate for governor in Washington, is part Tlingit from his mother's side of the family. "There's a new game in town, only it's not so new in Washington's history....

Opinion: Greedy Arizona tribe goes after poker room (09/09)

"The greed of Indian tribes when it comes to their casino gambling is once again showing through. The Pascua Yaqui Tribe has asked a judge to make a small chain of off-reservation poker rooms to...

Editorial: Gaming tribes get whatever they want (09/05)

"In recent years, charity bingo has been unable to compete with the richer prizes and slot machine-type bingo games allowed at Indian casinos in California. Alarmed by dwindling bingo revenues, the Catholic Church, one of...

Column: Oklahoma becoming number one in gaming (08/29)

"While Playboy Magazine is picking the Oklahoma Sooners to be the No. 1 in football in 2008, the state of Oklahoma has the dubious distinction of being No. 1 in Indian gambling. That’s gambling, not...

Column: Eastern Cherokees promote economy (08/27)

"As director of planning and development, Cherokee is advancing in an extremely positive manner regarding existing and current retail expansion. Wal-Mart Corp. USA has just submitted a lease for Tribal Council approval to build a...

Column: Casino won't help small town in Ohio (08/27)

"Let's say you just lost your job. Naturally, the first thing you should do is bet everything you have at the local casino. If that sounds recklessly stupid, it's just what Ohio has in...

Editorial: Veto expansion of bingo in California (08/25)

"Every session of the Legislature offers several examples of some big interest groups ganging up to kick the stuffing out of a smaller interest group. In this session, the premier example centers on the seemingly...

Editorial: Meaningless promise from Graton Rancheria (08/22)

"When it comes to the proposed mega-casino in Rohnert Park, Sonoma County supervisors certainly can talk the talk. Unfortunately, they talk the talk of opposition, but quickly turn their backs and walk the other way....

Column: Mohegan Tribe's ties to convicted criminal (08/19)

"Kansas casino authorities have some deep vetting to do. The Connecticut-based Mohegan Tribe, majority partner in the proposed Legends Sun casino in Wyandotte County, has been closely tied to a would-be Wisconsin casino developer...

Pechanga Chair: California tribes boost state (08/18)

"Public discussion of Indian gaming has become a common part of California’s politics. Each election, it seems, Indian gaming issues are pushed front and center by one group or another. In the latest of these...

Opinion: Put an end to smoking at tribal casinos (08/15)

"The Navajo Nation recently came close to doing the right thing and beginning a smoking ban in all public areas, including its future casinos. It was close, but no cigar, as concern for casino profits...

Editorial: White Earth Band and casino property tax (08/08)

"The White Earth Band of Chippewa and Mahnomen County, which lies entirely within its borders, haven’t been acting very neighborly lately. Not only has the tribe quit paying property taxes on its Shooting Star Casino...

Editorial: Tribal gaming not good for Michigan (08/07)

"In the raw economic numbers that the Potawatomi Indians are happy to trumpet, the casino that will open next year should be a gift to this region. Fifteen-hundred employees and $300 million in new investment,...

North Fork Chair: Casino to boost area economy (08/07)

"The North Fork Rancheria has worked in a partnership with local, state and federal entities to bring jobs and economic opportunity to our region through a proposed casino resort project. At the local level, every...

Editorial: California lawmakers gamble jobs away (08/04)

"There were so many influential state legislators at the party celebrating the expansion of the Chukchansi Gold Resort and Casino the other night in Coarsegold that they could have solved the state's budget mess in...

Editorial: Gambling on gambling is a big gamble (08/04)

"Gambling on gambling is a big gamble. So it is more than a little alarming that gambling is such a big part pf Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan to close the state's $15.2 billion budget gap....

Opinion: Illegitimate tribe claims gaming rights (08/04)

"What would the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors do if Station Casinos, a Nevada casino operator, were to buy land close to Highway 101 in Rohnert Park and seek to construct a massive new casino...

Letter: Unions can't trump tribal sovereignty (08/01)

"In response to The Norwich Bulletin July 12 article, I take issue and disagree with the United Auto Workers , National Labor Relations Board and Connecticut attorney general in stating the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation,...

Editorial: Gaming law on the side of the Ponca Tribe (08/01)

"The Ponca Tribe's faces an array of powerful forces as it tries to develop a casino in Carter Lake, Iowa. Gov. Dave Heineman opposes it. So does Attorney General Jon Bruning. The list goes...

Editorial: Odds favor Seminole Tribe on compact (07/24)

"The Florida Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the Seminole Tribe of Florida can't conduct high-stakes blackjack and baccarat games at its Hard Rock Casino near Hollywood. Legislative leaders have said that they won't give the...

Editorial: Mohegan Tribe's role in Cowlitz casino (07/23)

"Clark County commissioners are shining a spotlight into a corner of the proposed Cowlitz tribal casino controversy that, for the most part, has been in the shadows. In so doing, they add reasons to question,...

Editorial: No to slot machines at Phoenix airport (07/22)

"Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon last week suggested gambling machines at the airport - a la nearby McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas - as a revenue-enhancer. The last time Arizona contemplated casino gambling was in...

Opinion: The fourth war with the Seminole Tribe (07/21)

"The United States won the third and final Seminole War, which ended in 1858. Ah, but the Fourth Seminole War now being fought in Florida? The tribe is winning, and despite the method of warfare,...

Opinion: No reservation shopping in California (07/21)

"When Californians approved Propositions 1A and 5, they were told -- and believed -- that these landmark gaming initiatives would give our state's Indian tribes the right to operate casinos on Indian lands. Voters never...

Editorial: A mess over Seminole Tribe's gaming compact (07/14)

"The Florida Supreme Court has made it quite clear that a governor must get legislative consent before signing a document that dictates what is legal and what is not. It was a welcome ruling that...

Editorial: Pokagon Band not sharing the wealth (07/11)

"The money is rolling in to the Four Winds Casino, but contracted payments are not rolling out to the state and local units of government entitled to a share. The gaming compact the Pokagon Band...

Chumash Chair: Governor raids tribal gaming fund (07/10)

"When the tribal-state gaming compacts were first negotiated back in 1999 with then-Governor Gray Davis, a special fund was created in the State Treasury called “the Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund” (SDF). The SDF was...

Column: Seminole Tribe still holds the cards (07/10)

"The blackjack tables at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood were buzzing with action at lunchtime Wednesday. In the cigarette smoke-filled gambling pit, it was as if the Florida Supreme Court and...

Editorial: Dirty dealing with Seminole Tribe (07/09)

"Gov. Charlie Crist gambled and lost on his bid to extend special privileges to Seminole casinos. In a unanimous decision, the Florida Supreme Court last week properly ruled that Crist had exceeded his executive powers...

Editorial: Negotiate better deal with Seminole Tribe (07/08)

"Gov. Charlie Crist went out on a limb last November when he negotiated a gambling compact with the Seminole Tribe that he called ''historic.'' The Florida Supreme Court last week invalidated the agreement and,...

Editorial: Potawatomi casino a welcome addition (07/07)

"The recent grand opening of the $240 million expansion of the Potawatomi Bingo Casino is another reason the once-drab and semi-deserted industrial Menomonee Valley is now a destination for tourists and residents alike. We...

Column: Seminole compact lawsuit all about money (07/07)

"It's clear now. Florida won't allow a bunch of Indians to corrupt innocent gamblers with the likes of blackjack. Not for $100 million a year. But how about $200 million? Or $300 million? If the...

Editorial: North Fork Band reservation shopping (07/07)

"The proposed casino on Highway 99 in Madera County is still a bad idea, even if the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs has rejected the Old Mill site near the mountain town of North Fork...

Letter: Boycott Detroit over casino opposition (07/04)

"Well, the U.S. House of Representatives, via intensive, expensive lobbying, defeated our attempt to have a casino in Port Huron. I wasn't originally in favor of the casino, but we really need employment opportunities and...

Letter: Sycuan Band insults California taxpayers (06/30)

"An article in Monday's edition was about the Sycuan tribe being allowed to skip on a payment to the state until next year, costing California a much-needed revenue of $30 million. What happened to the...

Column: 'Absurd' debate on off-reservation casinos (06/30)

"You know you've crossed into a parallel universe when Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick starts lecturing you on respect for the law. Kilpatrick is a five-term Democratic congresswoman from Detroit and chairwoman of the Congressional Black...

Editorial: Detroit casinos hog gaming spotlight (06/27)

"If boxing terms were to describe Wednesday's casino battle, it could be said Port Huron and Romulus were knocked out. The two U.S. House bills that sought approval for Indian-run gambling casinos in both cities...

Soo Tribe Chair: Support off-reservation casino bills (06/25)

"With Michigan's unemployment rate continuing to lead the nation, we are disappointed that a congressman from Detroit opposes legislation that would create more than 6,000 good union jobs for his city, county and state. Even...

Column: Wyandotte Nation's plans for Kansas City (06/25)

"Imagine nearly six square blocks of downtown Kansas City, Kan., as a sprawling casino and entertainment district. The Wyandotte Nation of Oklahoma does. Documents obtained by The Kansas City Star from the Bureau of...

Column: Seminole Tribe holds the cards in Florida (06/25)

"Here was the scene at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino at 11:45 a.m. Monday: Hundreds of gamblers streamed in to play blackjack, slot machines and baccarat. Players crowded around tables with newly lowered minimums...

Column: Gaming tribes slow to support Indian causes (06/24)

"Almost any trip to the mailbox reveals just how wrong is the current perception that because of proliferating casinos, most American Indians have now become wealthy. Mailed appeals arrive daily throughout California from charities like...

Editorial: Lawsuit aimed at Graton casino 'threat' (06/19)

"Efforts to stop a gigantic, Las Vegas-style casino complex from being built in Rohnert Park have been disappointing to date. But a lawsuit filed earlier this month could slow the momentum of casino developers and...

NIGC reports growth in tribal casino revenues (06/19)

Revenues at tribal casinos grew by five percent in 2007, the National Indian Gaming Commission reported on Wednesday. The casinos took in $26.0 billion last year, up from $24.9 billion in 2006. It was the...

Opinion: Washington governor right to kill compact (06/19)

"Over the past decade or so, Washington voters have opposed three initiatives to expand gambling in our state, with the most recent vote occurring in 2004. During a similar period, tribal gaming revenues in Washington...

Column: Family politics at Mashantucket casino (06/18)

"Are the Haywards, the family of former Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Council Chairman Richard “Skip” Hayward, the person widely credited for the creation of Foxwoods Resort Casino, being denied their fair share of the success it...

Editorial: Don't rush gaming bill in Massachusetts (06/17)

"Thoughtful legislators will not rush into a casino decision based on scare tactics. They have the rest of this session, at the very least, to weigh the issue, consult their constituents, research and read before...

Editorial: Long odds against Oregon tribal casino (06/17)

"There’s less than meets the eye in last Thursday’s ruling by the Oregon Court of Appeals in favor of opponents of the casino in Florence. The People Against a Casino Town group has a long...

Editorial: 'Mess' over electronic bingo machines (06/09)

"In the first three months of 2008, charity bingo operators in Sacramento County say they took in a combined $1.5 million for local charities. The money was used to fund school band programs and sports...

Editorial: Thank Saginaw Chippewa for casino (06/05)

"We've talked about the tourists, the traffic and the economic activity that the new Saganing Eagles Landing Casino near Standish has generated. Now, the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe is showing us the money. Late last...

Editorial: Gaming business not always booming (06/04)

"The Mohegan Sun tribe showed its hand 19 months ago when it opened the state’s first casino at the aging racetrack in Plains Township. It ended up flush with a full house, repeatedly. Today, slot...

Editorial: Keep restrictions on South Dakota gaming (06/03)

Ed. Note: South Dakota limits each tribe in the state to 250 slot machines, while non-Indian facilities have been allowed to operate more than 8,500 machines. "A proposed new large-scale casino in Larchwood, Iowa, just...

Letter: Twenty-Nine Palms casino costs taxpayers (05/28)

"I am not opposed to casinos and while I don’t think putting a casino in Twentynine Palms is a good idea for a variety of economic and sociological reasons, my letter is not about that....

Editorial: Ban smoking at Michigan casinos (05/27)

"What once promised to be a breakthrough for Michigan's anti-smoking advocates now appears to be another setback. Proposed state legislation to ban smoking -- at restaurants, bars, cigar bars and casinos -- has encountered another...

Editorial: Consider alternative North Fork casino site (05/26)

"The mega-casino proposed for Highway 99 in Madera County is the wrong place for such a huge enterprise, and the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians should be looking at other locations. One of them...

Editorial: Mind your own business, Nebraska! (05/23)

"Memo to Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman: Carter Lake is a city in IOWA. Yes, Carter Lake is on the Nebraska side of the Missouri River, just northeast of downtown Omaha. However, its land was originally...

Editorial: Graton Rancheria casino threat intensifies (05/22)

"Grassroots efforts to stop a gigantic, Las Vegas-style casino complex from being built in Rohnert Park suffered a setback earlier this month when the U.S. Interior Department unexpectedly announced that it would dedicate 254 acres...

Gun Lake Vice Chair: Governmental gaming (05/22)

"In response to Kathy Cassady’s letter—“Think tribal ancestors wanted casino?” No, our ancestors simply wanted to retain our land, culture and sovereignty. Upon learning that the U.S. Court of Appeals decided in yet another court...

Editorial: Casinos vital to Connecticut economy (05/16)

"The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation is no stranger to risks. Its gamble on high-stakes bingo, and later Foxwoods Resort Casino, paid off handsomely — until recently, that is. The downturn in the economy and...

Column: Mashantucket leader missing in action (05/16)

"Something is missing from the big casino celebration on the reservation. Yes, Foxwoods' new 30-story MGM Grand Hotel, opening this weekend and pushing Connecticut gambling to new and unknown Seinfeldian heights, is absolutely Vegas-worthy. But...

Editorial: Premature compact for North Fork casino (05/15)

"Proponents of the ill-advised Highway 99 Indian casino in Madera County may have overplayed their hand when they cut an early deal with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on a revenue-sharing agreement with the state. The North...

Editorial: Reject expansion of gaming in New York (05/12)

"Like a gambling addict certain that his luck will turn on the next roll of the dice, New York State is betting that vastly expanding gambling at the Aqueduct in Queens is part of...

Editorial: County should block Cowlitz casino (05/07)

"Clark County commissioners have posed an interesting question in a letter to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, essentially: If the commissioners do not agree to a memorandum of understanding with the Cowlitz Tribe, will that...

Editorial: Indian gaming helps communities (05/06)

"Tribal casinos in South Sound are pumping hundreds of thousands of dollars back into the communities they serve. The latest example was the Nisqually tribe's $450,000 contribution to nonprofit organizations and government agencies in Thurston...

Letter: Defending North Fork Rancheria compact (05/02)

"We are perplexed by The Bee's opposition to the tribal-state gaming compact recently signed by the North Fork Rancheria and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The gaming facility proposed by the tribe has the support of the...

Editorial: Schwarzenegger's bad gaming deal (05/01)

"Gamblers tell you there are no sure things, but it's a near certainty that a deal made this week by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger would increase pressure for a vast and ill-advised expansion of casino gambling...

Editorial: Ratify gaming compacts in Florida (04/30)

"Should Gov. Charlie Crist have unilateral authority to sign a compact with an Indian tribe or another state? No. The Florida Legislature is the policy-making branch of state government. The governor may negotiate a...

Editorial: Gaming standards for California tribes (04/29)

"California's gambling tribes compete furiously and disagree frequently about a wide range of issues. But they appear united when it comes to a belated attempt by the state's gambling regulators to impose minimum internal control...

Editorial: Smoking at Connecticut's casinos (04/28)

"Atlantic City has done it, and with any gumption, Connecticut could be next. Local legislators in Atlantic City voted last week to outlaw smoking on gaming floors at the New Jersey seaside resort's 11 casinos....

Alabama AG: No ceding sovereignty to Indians (04/28)

"I took the extraordinary step of suing the U.S. Department of the Interior, not to stop Indian gambling but to defend Alabama against the latest attempts by federal bureaucrats to change state law by the...

North Dakota tribe plans to start work on casino (04/22)

The Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation of North Dakota plans to break ground this summer on a $20 million casino. The Eagles Catch Casino will be located near Beulah, North Dakota. Plans call for a...

Opinion: United Auburn casino will hurt Nevada (04/21)

"As my regular readers know, I'm not a big fan of virtually unregulated American Indian and/or Internet gambling. The huge Thunder Valley tribal casino near Auburn, Calif., just off I-80 on the way to Reno...

Column: Gaming not so golden for Pequot Tribe (04/21)

"Stories about tribal spending have been legendary over the years, from the reported million-dollar-plus salaries for tribal councilors and six-figure annual stipends for tribal members to ridiculously high numbers of assistants assigned to government...

Editorial: Negotiate with Poarch Creek Band (04/15)

"History does not repeat itself, but echoes of the past often can be heard. If he had listened, Attorney General Troy King might have heard a few of those echoes when he filed suit in...

Editorial: Amend the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (04/14)

"It’s an election year, so there might be no great prospects for Sen. David Vitter’s latest efforts to tighten the rules of Indian gambling. With America’s tribes investing heavily in political action committees in both...

Opinion: Off-reservation casino support dwindling (04/14)

"F or almost a decade, a debate has raged over whether state and federal governments should approve Oregon's first off-reservation casino, resort and parking lot in the Columbia River Gorge. And with each year, The...

Analysis: Connecticut casinos are cooling off (04/14)

"Clyde Barrow’s annual analysis of New England’s gambling industry came a little too late to make a difference in this year’s casino debate. Barrow, one of the most knowledgeable local experts on the topic, often...

Opinion: America becoming a casino culture (04/14)

"In March, the Massachusetts House of Representatives rejected a measure that looked unstoppable when it was proposed by Gov. Deval Patrick last September: the authorization of “destination casinos” across the commonwealth. The plan was...

Opinion: Put an end to Indian gaming 'monopoly' (04/10)

"Few people realize that San Diego County is arguably the gambling capital of California. We have five first-rate hotel/casinos plus another three smaller casinos. More casinos are on the planning board. All are owned by...

Editorial: Don't force smoking ban at tribal casinos (04/09)

"If the legislature keeps playing politics with a bill aimed at curtailing smoking at the state's two casinos, Gov. M. Jodi Rell should pledge to veto it as a way of moving the smoking ban...

Editorial: County not truthful in Mechoopda casino fight (04/07)

"A few days back, Paul McIntosh, the former chief administrative officer of Butte County, wrote a letter to the editor accusing this paper of misrepresenting the county's position in regard to the Mechoopda Indians. This...

Opinion: Seneca Nation casino not on trust land (04/07)

"The bustle of activity at the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Perry Street should not obscure the fact that the future of gambling on the Seneca-owned site remains very problematic. Travel east on the...

ICT to debut new Indian gaming magazine (04/04)

Indian Country Today will publish a new magazine that focuses on Indian gaming later this year. The first issue of Indian Country Gaming Today debuts during the Global Gaming Expo in November. ICT says the...

Letter: Keep gaming money in Massachusetts (04/02)

"On March 24, the headline in The Standard-Times read, "Bay Staters betting big-time: Residents spent more than $1 billion at Conn., R.I. establishments." Yet we continue to allow this money to leave our state. I...

Opinion: Massachusetts vote helps Rhode Island (03/31)

"Former Providence Mayor Buddy Cianci declared the other day that Sal DiMasi is the greatest speaker of the House in Rhode Island history. The problem is DiMasi is the Massachusetts Speaker of the House. But...

Editorial: Help Tigua Tribe by selling lottery (03/27)

"Last year, Texas Gov. Rick Perry proposed selling the Texas Lottery to a private company. Perry believes, with good reason, that privatization of the Texas Lottery, which brings in about $1 billion a year, would...

Column: Kill Passamaquoddy Tribe's racino bill (03/27)

"Imagine this scenario: Two items appear on a statewide referendum ballot, one to allow a big casino operation sponsored by Indian tribes to be established in, say, southern Maine, and the second to allow slot...

Editorial: Turn Florida clasrooms into casinos (03/27)

"Florida depends more and more on gambling to pay for education. Why not go all in? Rather than wait passively for gamblers to ante up, schools actively should promote gambling. Florida's public schools should make...

Opinion: No to gaming in Massachusetts (03/27)

"It's over for this year. The House voted down the governor's casino proposal by a margin of 106 to 48 last week. The fabulously wealthy national casino operators had the best lobbyists and public relations...

Editorial: Settle labor issues at Mashantucket casino (03/26)

"The recent settlement of labor complaints demonstrates that the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and unions can resolve differences without diminishing tribal sovereignty. The primary issue for the tribe is sovereignty. It contends that the National...

Rincon Chair: Fulfill promises of California compacts (03/25)

"The tribal perspective was missing in a recent article on state Sen. Jim Battin's legislation that deals with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration's artificial limit on machine licenses. I. Nelson Rose, a professed expert on gambling,...

Editorial: Tribal gaming is good for Wisconsin (03/25)

"A state audit released last week suggests every taxpayer in Wisconsin may be footing a bigger bill because gaming revenues are not what they could be. The audit found that Wisconsin tribes paid the state...

Editorial: Gaming rush put off in Massachusetts (03/24)

"A few months ago it looked like the New England casino industry was in for a drastic change. Massachusetts appeared to be rushing toward the licensing of three major casino resorts. Connecticut's monopoly on resort-scale...

Editorial: Negotiate smoking at Connecticut casinos (03/24)

"Gov. Rell is the state's chief executive officer. The two tribes are sovereign nations. They are willing to talk about expanding the ban at their casinos, but they want to talk government to government. Why...

Editorial: Slow expansion of gaming in Florida (03/20)

"Before the Legislature expands casino-type gambling across the state, the South Florida pari-mutuels need to demonstrate that gambling's a business that can meet its promised potential. The caution flag needs to go up on a...

Editorial: The Dry Creek Rancheria casino threat (03/20)

"When 80 percent of Petaluma voters went to the polls in late 2006 and said “no” to a casino in their back yard, they meant no casino. So imagine the community’s collective dismay at the...

Editorial: Don't force state's smoking ban on tribes (03/19)

"Mashantucket and Mohegan are sovereign nations. And sovereignty is the exclusive right to govern ones' self, or in this case, not to be regulated by the state. Attorney General Blumenthal maintains sovereignty isn't a factor...

Editorial: Compromise on Buena Vista casino deal (03/17)

"The Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians is looking to open a casino on land that, according to a federal opinion, is legitimate American Indian land and eligible for such use. There's a lot of...

Opinion: Gaming will benefit Massachusetts (03/17)

"It is no secret that our state's fiscal situation has many cities and towns walking a financial tightrope. That is why we have helped launch the Massachusetts Coalition for Jobs and Growth (www.masscoalitionforjobsandgrowth.com), a group...

Column: Smoking ban at First Nations casinos (03/17)

"The indoor smoking ban arrived in Manitoba on Oct. 1, 2004 and applied across Manitoba, with the notable exception of businesses on First Nations land. Robert Jenkinson defied the law by permitting the patrons of...

Editorial: 'Sham' hearing on off-reservation casinos (03/17)

"It was a simple question. "How did Gov. (John) Engler, in his wisdom, decide where this casino ought to be located?" asked Rep. John Conyers, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. The question referred...

Editorial: Rumsey Band contributes to county (03/17)

"Thanks to the Rumsey Band of Wintun IndiansCache Creek Casino, transit service in Yolo County just got a lot bigger. The Yolo County Transit District announced last week that the tribe has agreed to provide...

Opinion: Dirty tricks in off-reservation casino fight (03/13)

"Political dirty tricks are being waged in Michigan and Washington, D.C., against my community and Wayne County reportedly by political operatives connected to Las Vegas casino giant MGM. Residents of Romulus have supported the...

Editorial: County stalls on Cowlitz casino stance (03/13)

"Clark County commissioners are having a difficult time standing behind their own words. Commissioner Steve Stuart, in a Jan. 27 op-ed piece in The Columbian, wrote: “I don’t want a megacasino in Clark County, but...

Column: Snoqualmie Tribe set for top-notch casino (03/12)

"Forget the poker tables and slot machines. When it opens late this year, I'll be in Casino Snoqualmie's gourmet restaurant or lounge. Tuesday morning I toured the building, still mostly steel beams and open...

Editorial: Tribal casinos should follow state laws (03/12)

"The days of Indian tribes doing whatever they well please within their casinos should come to an end. For years now, these tribes have given no respect in regards to laws in the states...

Opinion: NIGC regulations will hurt Oklahoma (03/10)

"Last week, U.S. Reps. Dan Boren and Tom Cole held congressional oversight hearings in Miami, Okla., to investigate the economic impact of proposed federal rules to limit Class II Indian Gaming. The testimony was...

Column: The casino arms race in New England (03/10)

"So what's Connecticut to do, now that Massachusetts is wising up and planning to stem the flow of gambling dollars across state lines? Let them beat us at our own game? Not so fast, suggests...

Letter: Casinos not to blame for everything (03/10)

"In response to the letter, “Casinos put employees and patrons at risk,” published March 7, on Connecticut trying to ban smoking at the two state casinos, it's ludicrous. They are sovereign nations with their own...

Column: Don't meddle with First Nations on gaming (03/10)

"It would be better if the federal government expended its resources on creating the conditions for economic development on First Nations rather than just focus on stamping out some of the only opportunities available...

Opinion: North Fork Rancheria casino a bad idea (03/10)

"There are many seductive arguments for supporting the Indian casino planned for 305 acres on Highway 99 north of Madera. You could get blinded by them if you weren't paying attention. The casino would...

Column: Detroit's gaming interests oppose gaming (03/07)

"To say "Port Huron kicked the big dogs" pretty much depicts the city's recent performance in Washington, D.C.'s halls of power. Port Huron's $500 million Thomas Edison Casino Project, House Bill 2176, was overwhelmingly approved...

Mohawk Chief: BIA runs roughshod over tribes (03/07)

"Last week, in Washington, D.C., I testified before the House Natural Resources Committee at the oversight hearings held on the Interior Department's recently released ''guidance'' on taking land into trust for tribes and its...

Editorial: Study downsides of Chumash casino (03/03)

"With more than a bit of fanfare, a local taxpayers group has released a report touting the economic benefits of the Chumash Casino Resort in the Santa Ynez Valley. That the Chumash Casino is...

Column: Governor right on Seminole compact (03/03)

"I am standing inside the Hard Rock Casino in Tampa -- and becoming convinced that Charlie Crist got this one right. To say that this place is busy would be like saying the slot...

Editorial: Connecticut gaming study long overdue (02/29)

"There is no question the two casinos here in Eastern Connecticut have had an impact on our region -- both positive and negative. But to what degree has gambling -- both casino and state-sanctioned gaming...

Opinion: Tribal sovereignty in labor union fight (02/29)

"I have represented the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation for 15 years, and cannot remember an issue that has generated more controversy than the labor issues facing the tribe today. I have heard completely opposite views...

Editorial: Public should vote on Indian gaming (02/28)

"Sonoma County residents were cheated out of a chance to voice their opinions on the critical issue of local casino development this week when the Board of Supervisors turned thumbs down on a proposal for...

Opinion: Seminole compact won't help education (02/28)

"The agreement between the state of Florida and the Seminole Tribe of Florida touts yet another important advancement for education funding through expanded gambling. Providing the Florida Supreme Court doesn't declare the agreement made by...

Opinion: Catskills deserves better than casinos (02/25)

"A recipe for disaster ... Ingredients: * 1,700 acres of Catskill real estate. * 2,500 electronic slot machines. * Potpourri of drifters, prostitutes, footpads, sharpers, criminals (small time),organized crime (big time). * Donald Trump. Stir,...

Louis Gray: Gaming vital to Oklahoma's economy (02/25)

"When federal regulators proposed regulations which would have crippled the economic gains won through class II gaming and pleased state opposition to Indian casinos a hearing to listen to the concerns of the affected tribes...

Opinion: Gaming not good for the environment (02/25)

"I am amazed at the great efforts the Native Americans of the Puget Sound region have made in investing the returns from their casinos. "Tribes are state's new high rollers — in business" [Times, Local...

Editorial: Off-reservation casino threat (02/19)

"Five public hearings are scheduled early next month to address one of the most serious threats to the treasured Columbia River Gorge: a huge off-reservation tribal casino proposed for Cascade Locks, Ore. We believe increased...

Editorial: Off-reservation casino deserves vote (02/18)

"Even if you don't believe gambling is the cure to Port Huron's ills, H.R. 2176 is important to the city. It would sanction an agreement in which the Bay Mills Indian Community would drop its...

Column: Fight over off-reservation casinos (02/18)

"The quest on Capitol Hill by two Upper Peninsula tribes to gain downstate land for casinos is grandly described by the Washington Post as "a fierce multimillion lobbying battle of a scale not seen since...

Editorial: No to off-reservation casinos in Michigan (02/14)

"Among John Engler's last acts as governor of Michigan -- on Dec. 30, 2002, to be precise -- was approving a land claim settlement with two Upper Peninsula Indian tribes that gave them rights to...

Editorial: No guarantees for Mashpee casino (02/13)

" A badly written 1988 federal law designed to help tribes abused for centuries by the government earn some revenue led to the creation of monstrosities like Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun in Connecticut that have...

Editorial: People should vote on Penobscot slots (02/13)

"The Penobscot Nation can’t be faulted for seeking to boost tribal revenue by adding slot machines to its high-stakes bingo operation on Indian Island. Tribes around the U.S. have benefited from the highly lucrative casinos...

Editorial: IGRA a 'crap shoot' for Massachusetts (02/11)

"Efforts by the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe to place its planned casino site in Middleborough in a federal trust are more likely to end in a drawn-out fight than a healthy payoff for either the tribe...

Editorial: Sovereignty and Oklahoma tribes (02/11)

"The state Supreme Court says tribal sovereignty can't be used as a shield by a tribe that's being sued because a casino patron allegedly drove drunk. The Absentee Shawnee Tribe and Thunderbird Entertainment Center...

Opinion: California tribes have political power (02/11)

"Last fall, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger unexpectedly announced, immediately before the Legislature recessed for the November elections, that he had signed new compacts with five tribes. The tribes - the Morongo Band of Mission Indians,...

Editorial: California tops for legal gaming (02/11)

"Propositions 94, 95, 96 and 97 - all of which voters approved by 12 percent margins (56-44) on Tuesday - involve a lot more than four Southern California tribes expand from 8,000 to 17,000 the...

Editorial: Governor tells two stories on casinos (02/08)

"Gov. Deval Patrick's latest casino move tells two stories. The first is the obvious: He wants the Bureau of Indian Affairs to reject the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe's land-into-trust application, or at least delay approval,...

Column: Penobscot slot bill goes against voters (02/07)

"After a few weeks of revving up, the Maine Legislature is finally getting the second regular session of the biennium into gear. Quite often, last session's leftovers are served up as fresh entrees. Issues that...

Opinion: Interior bungled California compacts (02/05)

"On February 5, 2008, Californians will vote on whether four tribes can triple the number of slot machines in their casinos, from 8,000 to 25,000. But, no matter who wins, the losers will sue....

Column: Oklahoma tribes create casino hub (02/05)

"It’s a subtle change, but one that should be noted nonetheless. The Wyandotte Nation Casino, the newest casino in Oklahoma, is teaming up with Northpark Mall, the most visited destination in Joplin. This does...

Column: Big money at stake in California fight (02/04)

"The most confusing measures on Tuesday's state ballot are the four Indian gambling propositions. But, cutting through all the fabrication and jargon, there's one simple way to look at this. The central question is: Should...

Opinion: Vote yes on California gaming compacts (02/04)

"As the principal negotiator for two of the four tribes whose amended gaming agreements are on Tuesday's ballot as Propositions 94 to 97, I am appalled that the IJ opposed the agreements based purely on...

Opinion: Negotiate better deal with gaming tribes (02/04)

"Remember when Californians voted in 1998 to approve Indian gaming? Most of us thought we were giving Native Americans throughout the state an opportunity to lift themselves out of decades of poverty. Now, 10 years...

Opinion: Gaming tribes are rolling in money (02/04)

"As Super Tuesday looms, mail boxes across California have been stuffed with slick fliers, plus a thick Voter Information Guide, about Propositions 94-97, which ask voters whether or not they approve new gaming compacts that...

Opinion: California monitors gaming tribes (02/04)

"The North County Times recently published commentary by John Zaitz and Cheryl Schmit on the Indian gaming compacts. I want to reassure you and your readers that all of Gov. Schwarzenegger's amended compacts allow the...

Opinion: California compacts a jackpot for state (02/04)

"Faced with a $14.5 billion deficit, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger already announced we may have no choice but to release tens of thousands of prisoners early. He has declared a "fiscal emergency" and proposes major cuts...

Opinion: Vote no on California gaming compacts (02/04)

"It is very hard to believe the ads against the four Indian gaming propositions — 94, 95, 96 and 97. It is also hard to believe the ads in favor of the measures. It is...

Opinion: Indian gaming not the only solution (02/04)

"This Super Tuesday, Feb. 5, one of the most controversial contentions coming to a polling station near you is Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's personal cause célèbre-Indian gaming. Propositions 94-97 would allow four reservation casinos in San...

Opinion: Bush administration stifles tribal economies (02/01)

"Some Indian tribes have made millions at home by exploiting a market for on-reservation casino gaming created by state law and the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. In recent years, tribes that do not enjoy a...

Editorial: Vote yes on California gaming compacts (01/31)

"Propositions 94 through 97 on the California primary ballot on Tuesday are all about the same thing: They allow four Indian tribes to increase the number of slot machines at their existing casinos. The new...

Editorial: Give Shawnee casino proposal a fair shot (01/31)

"The visceral reaction to the Shawnee Tribe's first proposal for an Oklahoma City casino seemed absent last week when the tribe gave more detail on what it wants to do on land it recently...

Twenty-Nine Palms Chairman: A good neighbor (01/30)

"To the citizens, business and civic leaders of Twentynine Palms who joined us for our recent media event at our reservation announcing our NŸwŸ Casino Resort and RV Park project, we thank you for coming...

Column: Mashantucket Tribe wields sovereignty (01/30)

"The Mashantucket Pequots, in their zeal to fend off the United Auto Workers, may be setting themselves up for a much bigger battle, one in which the stakes will be so high it will make...

Opinion: Vote no on California gaming compacts (01/30)

"Seven propositions will appear on the Feb. 5 ballot. Among the most controversial are four propositions dealing with Indian casinos. The four measures, Propositions 94, 95, 96 and 97, ask voters to approve four gaming...

Editorial: Vote yes on Indian gaming compacts (01/29)

"Vote Yes on Propositions 94, 95, 96 and 97. The Indian gaming compacts that have already been negotiated and approved by the California Legislature and signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will pump billions into the...

Opinions: How to vote on California gaming pacts (01/28)

February 5 is fast approaching for voters in California. If you're unsure about ballot propositions for four gaming tribes, here's some advice on both sides of the debate. The Banning/Beaumont Record Gazette urges a...

Letters: For and against off-reservation casino (01/28)

Letters for an against the off-reservation casino sought by the Bay Mills Indian Community of Michigan. FOR: "Thanks to Cliff Schrader for his Jan. 18 column on the status of Port Huron's casino approval in...

Opinion: California gaming tribes owe state $1B (01/25)

"The public is being barraged with ads and television commercials urging support for the unprecedented slot machine expansion for four of the large tribal casinos. Proponents have promised that this expansion will provide a huge...

Editorial: Vote yes on California gaming compacts (01/25)

"Four statewide propositions on the Feb. 5 ballot would allow four Southern California Indian tribes to increase the number of slot machines at their casinos on reservation land. Propositions 94, 95, 96 and 97 affirm...

Opinion: Gaming hasn't cured tribal woes (01/24)

"There are 105 tribal entities in California with approximately 56,158 tribal members. There are 31 gaming tribal casinos. Yes, Indian gaming revenue has been used to build houses, schools, roads and sewer and water...

Editorial: Wildlife can't derail Mashpee Wampanog casino (01/24)

"Yesterday, it was the northern red-bellied cooter. Today, it is the eastern box turtle. Tomorrow, it will be some other animal that threatens to scuttle the $1 billion casino resort project planned for Middleboro. If...

Editorial: Vote yes on Propositions 94-97 (01/23)

"Earlier this month, the citizens of California were given the news that their state was suffering from a whopping budget deficit of approximately $14 billion. As a means of comparison, this amount is approximately equal...

Column: Corporate sponsorship at Foxwoods Casino (01/23)

"Could the prospects for the casino business in Connecticut be worse than the slumping slots numbers in December might suggest? I doubt it. Casinos in Massachusetts may still be a long way off. Even a...

Column: Hey youse, vote for Indian compacts (01/22)

How do you make fun of Indians, Italians and tribal sovereignty all at once? No, don't call up Iron Eyes Cody, ask author Thomas Gangale to write a column. "Ciao. I’m Don Tommaso. I’m the...

Editorials: Vote 'yes' on California compacts (01/22)

Five California newspapers are urging voters to vote "yes" on four Class III gaming compacts that are on the February 5 ballot. The Los Angeles Times says the deals benefit the state and the tribes....

Editorial: Seneca Nation is a lousy neighbor (01/21)

"Let's face it, the Seneca Nation of Indians has made for one really lousy neighbor. It's been seven years since the state gave the tribe 50 acres of prime downtown Niagara Falls real estate in...

Editorial: Connecticut too dependent on gaming (01/21)

"So should Connecticut be worried because slot revenues took a major hit at the two casinos in December, and have been falling less significantly in recent months? The December loss to the state treasury year-over-year...

Editorial: Vote yes on Big Four gaming compacts (01/21)

"The Star supports the Indian gambling compact amendments the state Legislature and governor approved last year for four tribes and, thus, supports yes votes on Propositions 94, 95, 96 and 97 on the Feb. 5...

George-Kanentiio: No big loss in casino defeat (01/21)

"The U.S. Department of the Interior's rejection of the application by the St. Regis Tribal Council to build a casino in the Catskills has not sparked an uprising among the Mohawks. In fact, other than...

Column: The union vote at Mashantucket casino (01/18)

"To think that someone could have been working as a dealer at Foxwoods Resort Casino last year and not have known there was a vote to unionize would be like suggesting that someone could...

Column: BIA helps gaming tribes get richer (01/17)

"If there's one thing California voters pride themselves on, it's their ability to make their own laws via ballot initiatives. A corollary of this is their ability to use popular referenda for vetoing laws passed...

Opinion: Gaming compacts will help California (01/16)

"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a "fiscal emergency" because the state faces a $14.5 billion deficit. He has said we may have no choice but to release 22,000 nonviolent offenders from prison early, and he...

Editorial: Deja vu with Seminole gaming compact (01/14)

"It feels like déjà vu all over again. Florida political leaders promise that tax money from gambling will go toward educating our children at under-funded schools and universities, with the state reaping billions in revenue....

Column: Gambling on California's future (01/14)

"To watch the endless television ads, one would think that the four Indian gaming measures on the Feb. 5 ballot were all about raising money to save the state budget. In fact, tribal casinos will...

Opinion: Let tribes decide what's best for them (01/14)

"I've got a problem with letting the U.S. government decide what's in the best interest for Indian tribes. This, as opposed to letting the Indian tribes decide for themselves what's in THEIR best interest. How's...

Mohawk Chiefs: Keeping Indians down (01/14)

"We at the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe understand that not everyone can be in favor of casinos, but to call the proposed Monticello casino a "major disaster averted" could not be more off the mark....

Opinion: Seminole compact won't benefit students (01/11)

"Last month's announcement of the agreement between the state of Florida and the Seminole Tribe of Florida touts yet another important advancement for education funding through expanded gambling. It reported that the state is to...

Editorial: Choctaw opportunity in Jackson County (01/10)

"Now that the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs has placed a seemingly insurmountable obstacle in the path of a Choctaw casino in Jackson County, we hope that the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians will not...

Opinion: Support California gaming compacts (01/10)

"These days, one of the greatest threats to the public’s safety is our state’s budget crisis. It can jeopardize funding for all manner of police, fire and emergency protection services in communities throughout the...

Editorial: Time to end dream of Barstow casinos (01/10)

"Though supporters are reluctant to admit it, the U.S. Department of the Interior’s rejections of the applications to three tribes to take land in Barstow for off-reservation casinos brings about a likely end to this...

Editorial: Bush right on off-reservation casinos (01/08)

"Once in a great while, even the Bush administration will present us with a genuine truffle. This unexpected delight comes by way of Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne's denial of a couple of tribal applications for...

Editorial: Vote yes on tribal gaming compacts (01/07)

"The decision on Props. 94 through 97 on the Feb. 5 ballot depends on voters sorting through a battle between competing special interests to find the public's stake. One crucial point should make that task...

Opinion: No off-reservation Choctaw casino (01/07)

"In looking back over the news stories that affected residents of South Mississippi in 2007, we must include the resounding victory won by opponents to the proposed Choctaw casino in Jackson County. By a margin...

Editorial: Bungling of California gaming compacts (01/07)

"Here's what happened. After the Legislature approved the compacts last summer, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger sent them to the California secretary of state's office. Even though the compacts were not set to become law until Jan....