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Casino Showdown at Saskatoon City Council Meeting

"Each is entitled to five minutes of speaking time according to city policy, potentially taking up nearly four hours before council starts debate.

"…Today is the day passionate pro- and anti-casino residents have been waiting for. Council is expected to vote on calling a plebiscite to determine if Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority can (SIGA)build a $65-million casino downtown.

"If council defeats the motion, it will decide the issue itself as early as today.

"The motion to call a plebiscite was originally made by Coun. Owen Fortosky on Sept. 24 but has been delayed as council awaited information from SIGA.

"…Two recent publications may influence council's decision. One is a critical report on SIGA, which would own the casino, from the province's auditor general.

"The report said the authority lacks spending controls and financial planning.

"The other publication is a two-part investigation by Time into Indian-run casinos in the U.S. It said the promised prosperity for Indian communities hasn't materialized. Instead, non-Indians are getting rich hiring lobbyists to get federal recognition for the purpose of building casinos, under the guise of helping bands mired in poverty, Time reported.

"…After listening to SIGA's description of fiscal progress since a 2000 scandal involving former CEO Dutch Lerat, Maddin said `the alarm bells weren't quite so loud anymore.'

"…SIGA and the tribal council are promoting the gambling centre as a major tourism attraction which will boost downtown. It would cost employ 710 people full-time…"

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