Leech Lake joins casino effort

By Don Davis

Pioneer Capitol Reporter

      ST. PAUL - Governments representing 85 percent of Minnesota’s American Indians now support a Twin Cities-area casino.

      The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Thursday announced it is joining the White Earth and Red Lake bands in seeking a casino to help fund state government and the bands.

      “We see this as an opportunity to address our needs,” Leech Lake Chairman George Goggleye said during a visit to the State Capitol.

      White Earth Chairwoman Erma Vizenor, like Goggleye elected to her job this summer, said the addition of Leech Lake to the effort increases chances a casino will be approved.

      The measure has failed in the last three Minnesota legislative sessions, but it has advanced further each year.

      Casino supporters want to build the facility in the Twin Cities area because they say their existing casinos are too far away from potential customers to make much money from them.

      Backers say the proposal would send about $90 million to the state, while the bands would split the remaining profit, estimated at $130 million. Vizenor and Goggleye said tribal leaders have not discussed how that money would be split now that Leech Lake is on board. When just two bands were involved, the plan was to divide the money equally.

      Legislators would have to change state law for the casino to be built because current law only allows Indian tribes to build them on their own land.

      The proposal has run into opposition from conservatives who don’t want more gambling and liberals who don’t want to increase competition for existing Indian casinos.

      Red Lake and White Earth found success in lobbying for the casino when they presented evidence showing their members are extremely poor and their reservations lack transportation, education and other facilities.

      Vizenor said up to 70 percent of residents on her reservation don’t have jobs. Goggleye and Red Lake leaders say they have similar problems.

      Goggleye said many of his Band’s members who live in the Twin Cities want to return to the reservation “expecting a home, expecting a job.” Neither is in good supply, he added.

      Leaders of all three bands say casino profits would go to the necessities, like improving schools and roads, not payments to tribal members.

      Gov. Tim Pawlenty praised the Bands for working together.

      “We need to recognize the dramatic growth in casino gaming and get a better deal for the state of Minnesota,” he said in a prepared statement.