New Mexico

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROPOSED DONA ANA COUNTY CASINO

1. WHY IS A BIG CASINO BEING PROPOSED FOR ANTHONY, NM?

It is being proposed by Santa Fe developers who have explored gambling opportunities in their own area but could find none. They seek profits from southern NM residents. To get the casino approved the developers are partnering with the Jemez Pueblo of northern NM who are 300 hundred miles away from the proposed casino site. Under federal law, Indian pueblos are permitted to have gambling casinos on their land.

2. BUT JEMEZ PUEBLO HAS NO LAND OR TIES TO DONA ANA COUNTY WHERE THE CASINO WOULD BE BUILT. HOW CAN THEY BUILD ONE HERE?

Because the developers are proposing that they buy land near Anthony, NM for the Pueblo, deed it to the Jemez Pueblo and then operate the casino for the Pueblo.

3. THAT SOUNDS AWFULLY COMPLICATED AND TRICKY. HOW CAN IT HAPPEN?

According to federal law, the only way Jemez Pueblo can build a casino not on their land is to have the land the casino developer buys for them placed in “federal trust” by the U.S. Secretary of Interior. This is hardly ever done because it it violates the spirit and intent of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) that permits Indian casinos. 

4. YOU MEAN THE JEMEZ PUEBLO DOES NOT HAVE ANY LAND WHERE THE CASINO IS PLANNED?

That’s right. Their land is in northern NM but they do not want to build a casino on it because the casino market is saturated and their land is not in a highly populated area. 

5. BUT IF THE DEVELOPERS BUY THE LAND FOR THE PUEBLO AND THE INTERIOR SECRETARY ALLOWS IT TO BE USED FOR A CASINO, COULDN’T OTHERS DO THAT TOO?

Yes, they could. If this scheme is approved it will open the floodgates to casinos across the state and multiple casinos in Dona Ana County even though the IGRA was passed to help Indians on their native lands. It’s one of the reasons so many New Mexicans are opposing the Anthony casino scheme.

6. WOULDN’T GAMBLING PROVIDE JOBS FOR JEMEZ PUEBLO?

No. How could it? Jemez is located over 300 miles from the proposed casino. No one is going to travel that far for a low wage job. 

7. IF NATIVE AMERICANS ARE NOT GOING TO GET ANY JOBS AND THE DEVELOPERS ARE GOING TO GET SUCH A BIG SHARE OF THE PROFITS, WHY SHOULD THE ANTHONY CASINO BE APPROVED?

It shouldn't. Only a very few will benefit from the casino scheme. The developer will get at least 30 percent of the profits, possibly 40 percent. But the casino will damage the economy and expose Dona Ana County to the development of multiple 24 hour casinos. 

8. I HAVE HEARD NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY WILL LOSE FUNDS IF THE OFF-RESERVATION CASINO IS BUILT. IS THAT CORRECT?

Yes. The owner of Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino has pledged half the ownership in Sunland, valued at up to $100 million, to the university upon his death. However, if the new casino is built Sunland estimates its business will decline by half. That means there will be much less money to leave to NMSU. The university says a conservative estimate is that the planned gift would generate at last $10 million each year for educating New Mexico State students. If the casino is built Sunland’s owner will be forced to withdraw his gift.

9. HOW WOULD THE CASINO HARM ANTHONY AND DONA ANA COUNTY?

Small businesses, such as restaurants, gas stations and convenience stores will see a dramatic decline in business when the casino opens. Jobs will be lost and businesses could fail. The casino developers say they will provide hundreds of jobs but most of them will be offset by job losses as the casino takes millions of dollars out of the local community. Also, Anthony and Dona Ana County will see a significant decline in tax 
revenue since an Indian casino pays no gross receipts or property taxes. In addition, if the developer opens other businesses on the Indian land, they also would pay no taxes and further threaten existing businesses that do pay taxes.

10. WHAT OTHER PROBLEMS COULD ANTHONY AND THE SURROUNDING AREA EXPERIENCE?

The Anthony fire chief points out that emergency service calls would skyrocket in the small town which means taxpayers would have to increase funding for the department. More calls for the Sheriff’s department will also mean the need for more taxes to pay the additional personnel needed to handle the extra calls for speeding, DWI and other traffic violations that would result.

11. WHEN WILL THE DECISION BE MADE ON BUILDING THE CASINO?

The developers say they will submit their proposal to the Secretary of Interior in December. The Secretary will then study the proposal. If it is found that the casino would harm Dona Ana County, it will be rejected. The timetable for a decision ranges from months to several years.

12. WHAT CAN I DO TO STOP THE CASINO?

Sign and pass around to your friends and neighbors the petition opposing the developers’ casino plan. Join the Committee to Protect Dona Ana County so your name or business can be listed in opposition. That will encourage others. Visit Our web site-- http://www.protectdonaanacounty.com -- and email or mail the Secretary of Interior in Washington who will make the decision on whether this unusual scheme is approved. Also, email and write the Dona Ana County Commissioners who will also have a say. You should also contact your local legislator and let them know of your opposition and write letters to the editor of local newspapers. There are links on the web site to do all of these.

Stop The Kachina Lodge Project
a coalition of RISE (Residents in Support of Education)
and CFBT (Coalition For a Better Toas)
email:      john1@wecktech.com
web site: http://www.wecktech.com/taoscasino/

Taos Pueblo Enterprises (TPE) has proposed to purchase the Kachina Lodge near the center of the Town of Taos, New Mexico, for the purpose of annexing the property and converting part of the lodge into a casino. Taos Pueblo currently operates the Taos Mountain Casino on Pueblo lands outside of town. Allegations have been raised that the real purpose of this project is to demolish the Kachina as part of a plan to establish a four-story luxury casino/resort complex in a part of town surrounded by residential areas, museums, art galleries, bed-and-breakfast establishments, and other local businesses. Serious questions have also been raised regarding the flow of money through TPE, and concern expressed by Pueblo residents over the fact that only $1,000 of the potential millions of existing casino revenues have been earmarked for education.

The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 requires that the impacts of the proposed project be evaluated prior to any Federal decision to proceed. In July 1999, the Department of Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) released an Environmental Assessment (EA), prepared by Leedhill-Herkenoff under contract to TPE for the Kachina Lodge Project, with minimal opportunity for public involvement. This EA contains no formal analysis of traffic issues, air quality, socioeconomic effects, environmental justice, and other impacts of the proposed action.

Pueblo residents represented by the Residents in Support of Education (RISE) and residents of the Town of Taos, represented by the Coalition for a Better Taos (CFBT) have joined together to oppose the establishment of a casino in the heart of town. This is a grass-roots effort, a cooperative call to action by Pueblo residents and members of the surrounding communities. The purpose is not to halt gambling on Pueblo lands, or to close the existing casino, but to avoid the serious impacts that would likely result from the placement of such an enterprise in the proposed location.

Government officials contacted via e-mail by several RISE/CFBT members in September include Senators Pete Domenici and Jeff Bingaman; Representatives Udall, Wilson, and Skeen; Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbit; the Interior Department’s Office of the Inspector General; and New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson. Of these, only Senator Bingaman and Representative Udall have replied, and only Mr. Udall seems to be devoting any serious attention to this matter; there has been absolutely NO response from Senator Domenici, Representative Wilson, Representative Skeen, Secretary Babbit, the Interior Department’s Office of the Inspector General, or Governor Johnson!

OPPOSING THE CASINO IS NOT AN ATTEMPT TO DENY OR INFRINGE UPON THE RIGHTS OF NATIVE AMERICANS! The opposition to the casino project is spearheaded by RISE, a group of traditionalist Taos Pueblo residents who have educated themselves on the problems associated with casinos and who wish to use the proceeds of the existing casino to improve education and enhance long-term economic development. RISE opposes the use of funds to promote the new casino as well allowing alcohol to be sold on the Pueblo, and supports the creation of businesses that can offer career advancement, and not just low-wage jobs, to the Pueblo’s residents. CFBT, a citizens group of Taos residents, business owners, and friends of the Pueblo people, have joined with RISE to help fight the project. Both groups are concerned about the negative effects of the Kachina Casino Project on the future of the local economy, both in the Town of Taos and on the Pueblo. Neither group is proposing to close the existing casino operation.