Commission to decide on gaming pact

Published 1:48 pm Thursday, October 2, 2008

SNOQUALMIE – The Washington State Gambling Commission could decide as early as next month whether to approve a gaming compact between the state and the Snoqualmie Tribe for a proposed casino.

The compact is scheduled to be discussed on the first day of the commission’s two-day meeting. It begins at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 10, and will be held at the DoubleTree Guest Suites and Inn, 16500 Southcenter Parkway, Tukwila. The meeting is open to the public.

According to the Gambling Commission, the Snoqualmie Tribe first requested to begin negotiations to obtain a Class III gaming compact on Jan. 23. Representatives of the commission met with tribal members May 21.

A Class III gaming compact would allow the Snoqualmie Tribe to run Las Vegas-style games inside the planned casino, which would be built on about 56 acres of land in the city of Snoqualmie’s urban growth boundary, near the intersection of Southeast North Bend Way and Interstate 90. Class III games include blackjack, craps, roulette, poker, Keno and off-track betting.

Federally recognized Native American tribes are allowed under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 to operate gaming activities for economic development purposes and to provide governmental services to their members. In Washington, 24 federally recognized tribes have gaming compacts, and since 1988 15 casinos have been constructed.

Class III gaming is regulated by the National Indian Gaming Commission.

Contacted last week in Arizona, Snoqualmie Tribe Councilman Ray Mullen said he hoped the Gambling Commission would approve the gaming compact and send it to Gov. Gary Locke to sign.

“I think they could [approve it], but it’s in negotiation. They could either pass it or hold onto it,” he said.

The gaming compact asked for by the Snoqualmie Tribe mirrors other compacts already approved by the state. Susan Arland, rules coordinator and public information officer for the Gambling Commission, said the Snoqualmie Tribe can ask for anything in its gaming compact that has already been approved for other tribes.

“Hopefully everything’s in order for the compact to be passed,” Mullen said. “We haven’t asked for anything special. We’re only asking for what already has been handed out to the tribes.”

Ed Fleisher, the Gambling Commission’s deputy director for policy and government affairs, said if the commission believes more work is needed on the compact, it could be remanded to staff and negotiations would continue with the Snoqualmie Tribe.

But because the proposed compact is similar to others granted by the state, he believes it will be passed on to the governor’s office. Locke does have the authority to send the compact back to the commission, but Fleisher doubts that would happen

“I wouldn’t think there was much reason for the outcome to be different [from other compacts],” he said.

Fleisher added that the gaming compact would not go into affect until the Snoqualmie Tribe has purchased the land, which is a separate process. Mullen said the Tribe would most likely wait until the compact was finalized and the land was deemed appropriate for building a casino before it buys the property, which is owned by Snoqualmie Hills Joint Venture. That property could be placed in trust if the Bureau of Indian Affairs approves an application submitted by the Tribe.

Recently two legislative committees held a hearing on the gaming compact in Renton, and some residents voiced their opposition to the planned casino. Comments can also be given at the Gambling Commission’s meeting in January, but Arland said people don’t need to wait until then to state their opinion.

“Anybody can submit anything they want at anytime,” she said. “There’s no reason to wait.”

If the governor ratifies the compact, it would go to Secretary of Interior Gale Norton for approval.

* For those wishing to comment on the Snoqualmie Tribe’s gaming compact, send it to the Washington State Gambling Commission, P.O. Box 42400, Olympia, WA 98504-2400.