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Interior again rejects Jemez
casino project in Anthony, New Mexico
Sept. 10, 2011 - The proposed Jemez Indian gaming casino in Anthony, N.M., has
again become an idea too far away – literally – as a federal official again
rejected the pueblo’s application for an off-reservation casino.
Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs Larry Echo Hawk issued
decisions Friday, Sept. 2, on several similar applications from California and
New Mexico. In his decision, Echo Hawk questioned whether the pueblo located in
the mountains northwest of Albuquerque could adequately manage a casino
operation 300 miles away along the Texas-New Mexico border.
Echo Hawk, in that same announcement, approved the applications from the
Enterprise Rancheria and the North Fork Rancheria tribes in California, saying
they had historical connections to their proposed gaming sites in Yuba and
Madera counties. Both are 36 miles from the reservations. He also noted both had
strong support from local communities.
Although the Jemez casino has many supporters in the immediate Anthony area
supporting the proposal, there are many others throughout southern New Mexico –
primarily in the horse-racing industry – who oppose the proposal. Sunland Park
Racetrack & Casino is the most successful such operation in the state, which can
be attributed to the lack of competing Indian gaming casinos in southern New
Mexico.
The Mescalero Apache tribe, which operates Inn of the Mountain Gods resort and
casino in the Ruidoso area, also opposed the Jemez Pueblo’s claim to the land,
contending it has stronger historical ties to the land.
According to a statement from the Jemez pueblo, the Interior Department letter
gave only one reason it rejected the application – the pueblo would not be
exercising sufficient jurisdiction over the land because the pueblo entered
into an intergovernmental services agreement with Doña Ana County for police,
fire and ambulance services.
The statement decried the decision as ignoring clearly expressed terms in the
agreement, which included the pueblo reserving the right to provide all the
services and thereby exercising jurisdiction over the land. The agreement does
specifically what the letter says is lacking, according to the statement.
The Jemez Pueblo stated it is reviewing the letter and evaluating its options.
The Jemez Pueblo had been working with Santa Fe art dealer Gerald Peters to
develop a $55 million casino and hotel in Anthony. The plan also was shot down
in 2008 by the Bush administration, which said it was too far from the pueblo to
generate jobs for the tribe. The Obama Administration re-opened consideration of
off-reservation casino applications, including the Jemez proposal. Scott
Scanland, a lobbyist for Sunland Park, told the New Mexican in an email the
company is pleased with the Interior’s decision.
“Clearly Assistant Secretary
Echo Hawk read the law, understood the law and made the only decision he could
make based on the law,” Scanland wrote.
The Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce and the Hispano Chamber of Commerce
de Las Cruces had endorsed the proposal, saying it will bring hundreds of jobs
and millions of dollars to the area.
Read more: By Todd G. Dickson:
Las Cruces Bulletin
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