CALIFORNIA
Butte County is taking its issue with a proposed Tribal Gaming property to Washington. In April, the County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to file suit in U.S. District Court to block the Chico Rancheria Mechoopda casino’s approval. Station Casinos Inc. is the casino developer attached to the project. County officials believe the proposed site for development, a 645-acre stretch near the intersection of Highways 99 and 149, is inappropriate for “such an intensive land use,” posing health, safety and conservation concerns. They have stated that their issue is with the company, not the Mechoopda tribe, and that the county is willing to discuss an alternate site. The National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) signed off on the proposed property in January, but as of CEM’s press time, final approval was still pending. The county would like the Supreme Court to deem the NIGC’s approval unlawful and that the proposed site is not “restored land.” The Mechoopda have been federally recognized since 1992.
A recently released report by a state inspection team has declared that just 60 percent of the slot machines it inspected last year are up to snuff. The machines were installed at seven Indian Gaming properties across the state. Hundreds of slots were flagged as running obsolete software; the report said flaws in some of that software created problems ranging from sending incorrect information to the central accounting system to accumulating credits incorrectly to miscalculating progressive jackpots, although these were on the extreme end of the potential problems. Several tribes have spoken out against the report’s findings, pointing out that it is common and acceptable not to replace obsolete software until a routine upgrade, and that it would be impossible to keep up with every upgrade anyway, as they are constantly being issued. Likewise, Gaming Laboratories International’s stance on obsolete software on the slot floor is that it is not a threat to players or the house, although it should no longer be installed. The inspection report did not break down results by tribe, but there was reportedly a wide range of results from property to property. Slot machines inspected were installed at casinos of the Pala Band of Mission Indians, the Pauma Band of Mission Indians, the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians, the United Auburn Indian Community, the Quechan, the Rumsey Band of Wintun Indians, and the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians. They were chosen because their compacts explicitly allow state inspections on their slot machines, a practice which the state hopes to expand across all Indian Gaming properties in California. The state is not requiring the tribes to replace obsolete software, only calling attention to its existence.
CONNECTICUT
The Mohegan Tribal Council has elected to return a significant portion of funding to the federal government’s Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), with the intention of helping other members of the United South and Eastern Tribes (USET) organization.
In an appeal to the eastern regional office of the BIA, Bruce “Two Dogs” Bozsum, chairman of the Mohegan Tribal Council, returned $105,680 of funding that had been earmarked for the Mohegan Tribe. That amount was awarded through a contract between the Mohegan Tribe and the BIA, pursuant to the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (Section 638). In addition, Chairman Bozsum asked that another $518,440 that has not yet been received from that contract be redistributed.
Chairman Bozsum asked that the monies be directed to tribes who “have demonstrated the greatest need and suffer from current or previous year shortfalls in funding” and “do not receive more than 10 percent of their revenue from Class II or Class III gaming, or have substantial gaming projects under development that may generate such revenue.” The appeal also asks that these funds not be retained by the BIA or any other federal government agency, notwithstanding any budget cuts or underfunding of such an agency by the U.S. Congress. The appeal also recommended that the BIA work with USET to encourage other tribes who are enjoying economic development and diversification to re-direct their funding to non-gaming tribes.
In a separate agreement, the Mohegan Tribe has initiated a redistribution plan for funds awarded to Mohegan by Indian Health Services grants and contracts, planning to direct the funds to other members of the USET organization.
FLORIDA
The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa is gearing up to debut 725 new Class III slots on May 1. The new machines are allowed under a long-fought agreement with Gov. Charlie Crist that federal officials approved in January. The Seminole Hard Rock currently boasts 3,200 Class II machines, which will be swapped out at a rate of 75–100 per day. The casino expects nearly half its floor—1,675 machines—to be Class III by the end of May. The Hollywood Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and the Seminole’s Coconut Creek Casino have already begun their transitions to Class III properties. The Seminole are also in the midst of adding Blackjack, Baccarat and other table games to its casino floors. They are expected at the Hollywood Seminole Hard Rock by June and at the Tampa Seminole Hard Rock by the end of summer or early fall.
NEW MEXICO
The Navajo Nation is now officially poised to join the Indian Gaming community. President Joe Shirley and Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise CEO Robert Winter have signed loan documents and lease agreements that kick construction into high gear after a decade of efforts to bring a casino to the tribe. The 300-slot casino will be built in Churchrock and is scheduled to open in October. The Killian Group is the general contractor, and JCJ Architecture is the architect. Four or five more gaming properties are also in the works for the Navajo Nation.