Senate Bill Prompts Rush of Official Casino Applications

Several Indian tribes could still have a chance to build off-reservation casinos under a provision included in a Senate bill aimed at banning the practice. The legislation, sponsored by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and approved March 29 by the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, is intended to eliminate off-reservation gambling for tribes with their own reservation land. But the bill states that any applications filed before April 15 two weeks after the committee meeting would be grandfathered into current law.According to an Interior Department document obtained by The Associated Press, several pending applications could be approved under this exception.About 40 applications for off-reservation casinos are listed on the document, dated May 2006. Fourteen of the applications were dated between March 29 and April 15.George Skibine, the Interior Department official in charge of policy and economic development for Indian Affairs, confirmed that the list was compiled by his office.

May 6, 2006
Posted By Hector Rodriguez
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