Navajo council again OKs ‘economic window’ for gambling

Thursday, Jan. 27, 2000 | 9:47 a.m.

On Wednesday, the council voted 46-27 to amend the tribe's criminal code to allow the nation to consider gaming initiatives.

Since the code made casino-style gaming a crime within the Navajo Nation, such initiatives couldn't be considered unless the law ere changed.

"We will merely provide the means, a 'window of opportunity' to begin when the day comes to implement the process of gaming as an economic initiative by the Navajo Nation," said council Delegate Richard T. Begay Jr. of Two Grey Hills, who sponsored the resolution.

"Any concerns regarding the implementation process, legal issues, intergovernmental agreements-compacts, rules and regulations can be addressed at your discretion," he told fellow legislators.

Navajo voters rejected reservation gambling in 1994 and 1997, and President Kelsey Begaye vetoed a similar gambling resolution in August. Meanwhile the Canoncito Navajos, who community near Albuquerque, N.M., is 150 miles south of the main Navajo, pressed for tribal permission to build a casino on their land. Leaders said they might try to break away if they were rejected.

Begay said the president agreed that an amendment such as the council approved would be necessary if gaming were to be considered as an economic initiative. He said Begaye told him that gaming was part of the president's plan to generate additional tribal revenue.

Begaye couldn't be reached for comment late Wednesday. In having vetoed the previous resolution, he had said that "this administration does not support gaming on the reservation," in part because of the previous voter decisions.

Begay argued Wednesday that "our nation needs to embark on gaming for the sake of economic purposes.

"We cannot be ignorant of the fact that our nation is approaching a crossroads of new generation and the new millennium with new ideals, and we must prepared to accept them," he said.

Opponents expressed concern about Begaye's apparent about-face, about the previous voter rejections and about sovereignty issues.

"The almighty dollar as become more important than sovereignty," said Delegate Freddie Howard of Birdsprings-Tolani Lake. Howard argued that in negotiating gambling compacts with Arizona, Utah and New Mexico as would be required by federal law, the tribe would be forfeiting a portion of its sovereignty.