The Navajo Nation, and Indian community of Arizona, has signed over the rights to more than a third of their allotted slot machines to other tribes in the East Valley area of Arizona. In the state of Arizona, Indian communities and officials from the state can create a compact that gives the Indians the right to disperse their slot allotments to other Indian communities if they choose.

Yesterday, four tribal leaders signed agreements that gave the Tohono O’odham Nation received almost five hundred slot allotments while Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation received one hundred and eighty and the Gila River Indian Community gained four hundred and eleven.

Stephen Hart, the attorney representing the Navajo Nation stated that the Navajo Nation does not have a casino to operate in but has the right to operate 2,850 slot machines. The tribe will earn $140 million over a seventeen year period for leasing their compact rights. The group is currently building a casino in Gallup, New Mexico.

The tribe plans to use the money to enhance their community programs and services. Gila River has plans to expand their two casinos for the new machines. The casino will house a little over six hundred slot machines, some acquired from other tribes.

Fort McDowell Casino plans to use the new slots to provide more options for winter players. President Clinton Pattea said that in the winter visitors arrive and they do not have enough machines for them to play on. Now the casino will have eight hundred and sixty six machines.


- 2008-09-16