Indianz.Com > News > Alaska Beacon: Native Village of Eklutna moves forward with gaming facility

Federal agency, reversing prior rulings, greenlights Eklutna tribal gaming hall
Monday, August 5, 2024
The National Indian Gaming Commission has approved plans for a casino-style tribal gaming hall proposed by the Native Village of Eklutna for a site near Anchorage.The decision, published this month by the commission, follows an Interior Department decision in February that reinterpreted the legal status of Alaska Native trust land, reversing decades of precedent.The gaming hall, which is expected to hold rows of electronic gambling machines, is similar to the Southeast Winds Casino in Metlakatla but would be a first in the Railbelt.The facility wouldn’t host table games like blackjack or poker, because those aren’t allowed by state law, but it could host electronic versions of pull-tab and bingo machines.“There’s still a few hurdles to clear, but we feel the major hurdles have been cleared,” said Eklutna Tribal Council President and Chair Aaron Leggett.
NIGC: Native Village of Eklutna 2024 Gaming Ordinance [PDF]
Native Village of Eklutna 2024 Gaming Ordinance
In 2018, the federal government rejected that idea, saying the Tribe didn’t hold jurisdiction over the allotment. Eklutna sued, and the state of Alaska joined the federal government in opposition. In 2021, a district court judge in Washington, D.C., ruled against Eklutna.But this year, Interior Department Solicitor Robert Anderson released a new legal interpretation of existing law, saying the department now believes that family allotments may come under tribal jurisdiction if certain conditions are met.Eklutna resubmitted its proposal to the National Indian Gaming Commission, which approved the Tribe’s plans, citing the solicitor’s opinion.The state of Alaska, in legal filings related to a different lawsuit, has already expressed concerns with the solicitor’s opinion and could challenge the new approval as well.
Darren shared these great drone photos. Chinan
Posted by Native Village of Eklutna on Sunday, August 4, 2024
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Alaska Beacon is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alaska Beacon maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Andrew Kitchenman for questions: info@alaskabeacon.com. Follow Alaska Beacon on Facebook and X.
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