ZUNI AND JEMEZ PUEBLOS OPEN NEGOTIATIONS FOR CASINOS
According to an article in the Sunday, March 16, 2014, Albuquerque Journal, The Zuni and Jemez Pueblos have both begun preliminary negotiations with the Martinez administration to get compacts for opening casinos. Neither pueblo has had a previous compact, so they are not under the June 30, 2015 timing deadlines that the Navajos and four other tribes are facing.
Jemez Pueblo, along with Jerry Peters, tried for over 10 years to get permission for an off-reservation casino approved in Anthony, New Mexico, hundreds of miles from its official tribal land. Besides being rejected twice by the Department of the Interior, both Governors Richardson and Martinez have rejected the notion of an off-reservation casino there. Jemez appears to have given up on that project in Anthony.
Both Jemez and Zuni Pueblos, being state and federal recognized tribes, have a legal right to negotiate gambling compacts on their legitimate tribal land. Either pueblo could adopt the 2007 compacts approved by the state and nine tribes, and pretty much avoid negotiations altogether, or they could open up negotiations with the state for compacts uniquely their own.
Jemez would be able to build a casino very close to Highway 550, about 32 miles west of Bernalillo, not exactly a prime location for a casino, but certainly a threat for the Santa Ana Star casino in Bernalillo.
Zuni could build a casino about 32 miles due south of Gallup, also a pretty poor commercial location. However, there is a possibility of another site right on Highway 40, about six miles east of Gallup. Last summer, the US Army made an agreement for a transfer of ownership of property from Fort Wingate to by split by the Zunis and the Navajos. If the US Congress approves the land transfer, the Zunis could possibly stick a casino almost right across Highway 40 from the Navajo Fire Rock casino. We suspect that the Navajos will be working with our congressional delegation to stall or scuttle the transfer.
The next legislative session should be pretty interesting, with possibly five tribes trying to beat the June deadline to get new compacts, and two new tribes looking to get new compacts approved. We can be pretty sure that the existing gambling tribes are not going to be enthusiastic about any of these proposed gambling compacts.
Stop Predatory Gambling New Mexico would prefer that the whole gaggle of snake oil salesman would close up shop, but we will probably have to be satisfied with pointing out flaws, and encouraging dissention among the ranks of the predators.
I see the a dire need for a casino on the Zuni reservation due to the condition of the economy. A casino would give the tribe revenue for education as well as infastructure developement. The tribes one and only market jewelry\ arts and crafts has fallen over the years causing extreme poverty . It will also provide local employment which is in dire need as well.