(Deming) – Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly says the importance of New Mexico lawmakers approving a proposed gambling compact during this legislative session can't be stressed enough.
Shelly says the proposed compact is the result of a long and tedious negotiation process with the state and that thousands of jobs are at stake.
Shelly made the comments Monday as the legislature enters its final stretch. The session will adjourn March 21st.
But a federal official has maintained that the proposed Indian gambling compacts under consideration by the legislature might violate federal law by effectively prohibiting the Fort Sill Apache tribe from opening a casino in Luna County.
The paragraph in question says that any tribe that had lands held in trust status in New Mexico prior to 1988 may conduct any and all forms of Class III gaming.
But the Fort Sill Apache tribe’s 30 acres of land in Luna County were not designated as tribal trust lands until 2002.
Lawmakers are expected to take up the compact later this week.
Shelly says the proposed compact is the result of a long and tedious negotiation process with the state and that thousands of jobs are at stake.
Shelly made the comments Monday as the legislature enters its final stretch. The session will adjourn March 21st.
But a federal official has maintained that the proposed Indian gambling compacts under consideration by the legislature might violate federal law by effectively prohibiting the Fort Sill Apache tribe from opening a casino in Luna County.
The paragraph in question says that any tribe that had lands held in trust status in New Mexico prior to 1988 may conduct any and all forms of Class III gaming.
But the Fort Sill Apache tribe’s 30 acres of land in Luna County were not designated as tribal trust lands until 2002.
Lawmakers are expected to take up the compact later this week.
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