Thursday, Sept. 15, 2005 | 9:58 a.m.
RIVERTON, Wyo. -- An outspoken opponent of gambling will be part of the state team negotiating terms for the Eastern Shoshone Tribe's proposed Class III casino on the Wind River Indian Reservation.
Last month, Gov. Dave Freudenthal asked the Fremont County Commission to participate in discussions with the tribe, which announced in July that it wanted to open a casino.
"I think that your insight will be crucial to reaching some type of agreement that is workable for all sides of this important issue," the governor said in an Aug. 23 letter to commissioners.
Commissioners responded Tuesday by selecting commission chairman Doug Thompson to join state negotiators.
Thompson has repeatedly expressed concern about the "social costs" of gambling, saying that local law enforcement and social service organizations would incur greater expenses if Class III gambling was allowed on the reservation.
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