Colorado political leaders are right to cast a wary eye at a proposal to build a $100 million Indian casino in Pueblo. The latest plan is a mutation of the old scheme for a casino near Denver International Airport. The location may be changed, but the idea still rests on the same underlying determination to deny the people of Colorado a vote on the issue.
Indian gaming consultant Steve Hillard originated the plan to settle a supposed claim by the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes of Oklahoma to 27 million acres of northeastern Colorado, including all the major Front Range cities, in return for a 500-acre piece of land near DIA. The tract would have hosted a large- scale casino exempt from the limited-gaming rules that restrict existing casinos in Black Hawk, Cripple Creek and Central City.
Gov. Bill Owens and other state leaders have fought the plan, rightly insisting that promoters of any new casino should refer their plans to Colorado voters, just as the original limited-gaming backers did.
In the case of Indian tribes, however, Congress does have the power to bypass state regulators. After rumors flourished that casino interests intended to attach a rider to some unrelated legislation to authorize the casino near DIA, national Indian gaming leaders told Owens they would oppose such a stealth bill.
Thwarted at DIA, Hillard switched his sights to Pueblo, proposing an Indian-owned casino in the city’s Riverwalk redevelopment. Pueblo leaders have asked to discuss the plan with U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar and U.S. Rep. John Salazar – but not with Owens. That suggests that Hillard is readying yet another end run around Colorado voters.
Sen. Salazar says he’ll meet with the Pueblo officials but will oppose the project if it’s similar to the DIA idea. As well he should. As the governor’s spokesman, Dan Hopkins, said last Friday, “It’s not the location that’s the issue; it’s the expansion of gambling without a vote of the people.”
That’s exactly right.
