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Tribal Officials Oppose Minnesota Casino Plan

MINNESOTA – As reported by the Timberjay News: "Bois Forte tribal officials say they will actively oppose Gov. Tim Pawlenty's proposal to create a metro-area casino with three other northern Minnesota bands. Meanwhile, Sen. Tom Bakk said this week that the vote on the plan could be very close and he urged tribes to consider renegotiating the state's gaming compact as a way to head off a new casino.

"The governor, along with officials from the White Earth, Red Lake, and Leech Lake bands, announced late last week that they had reached agreement on a plan to build the casino somewhere in the Twin Cities, as a means of raising additional funds for cash-strapped state coffers.

"Pawlenty said the deal is also an opportunity for the remote northern bands to finally benefit from the expansion of tribal gaming.

"…But Bois Forte Tribal Chair Kevin Leecy suggested Pawlenty may be using the tribes for political window-dressing.

" 'These tribes and Gov. Pawlenty portray this as a way to help the poorest of the poor, yet somehow the poor are expected to have the means to pay a $200 million license fee and millions more in development costs and management fees,' said Leecy. 'It makes you wonder whether the state won't end up showing these 'poor' tribes the door and end up taking other, wealthier gambling investors to the dance,' said Leecy.

"…Leecy said he'll urge all of the tribes to view the governor's proposal with suspicion, and he suggested that Pawlenty was using the age old strategy of divide and conquer to overcome the strong opposition to the idea from the state's other tribes…"

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