Quietly at the New Year, Anchorage Mayor Suzanne France issued a letter of support for a proposed Native-operated gambling casino in Eagle River, on land owned by the Eklutna Native village. She wrote it on behalf of all of Anchorage.
LaFrance’s Jan. 3 letter to the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs said it’s the municipality’s official position to support the gambling casino:
“The Municipality of Anchorage values and respects our government-to-government relationship with the Native Village of Eklutna.
“The Native Village of Eklutna’s goal to develop a gaming facility on its land is clearly within its right to facilitate self-sufficiency, self-determination, and economic development under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
“The Native Village of Eklutna has a long history of excellent stewardship of the land and water in the Municipality, including salmon streams, and the project’s Environmental Assessment reflects that, raising no significant concerns.
“The Environmental Assessment also shows the project will create shared economic benefits, including more than 450 jobs during construction that will add $45.8 million to our local economy. Once operating, the project will support 419 workers and generate $67.6 million in economic value. Positive economic spill-over effects would boost surrounding businesses, hotels, and workers.
“We’d like to formally share our support for the Native Village of Eklutna as it exercises its sovereignty and pursues economic development.”
The casino would be the first in Alaska and would open the door to casinos in places that don’t seem like “Indian Country,” such as small parcels of land in Juneau and Craig.
Residents of the Birchwood neighborhood near Peters Creek have filed a lawsuit to stop the casino that has already been given the OK by the National Indian Gaming Commission. They are concerned about traffic and other pressures on their residential neighborhood.
Will she be able to tax the casino, I’ll bet no.
What a surprise! A Progressive endorsement for what we know will destroy the lives of Alaskan’s and enrich the public sector unions. When will the dead wake up? Casinos have no place in Alaska. Gambling, prostitutes, organized crime, extortion and fraud, however, will benefit the public sector unions.
The hubris for LaFrance to communicate (on our behalf) that the we, the municipality, support a casino. And declaring that the tribe has a long history of stewardship… Wait, The Eklutna tribe was only formally recognized as such a few decades ago. So many things are wrong here for her to throw her weight behind this project.
Hummmmmm The Metlakatla community had operated a casino
For several years. That it is on a Federal recognized island may isolate the existence, yet it does exist in Alaska
And is a recognized Indian(Native)
being. A minor point perhaps or a technicality.
Cheers-Johnson
The Metlakatla community in the late 1880s were declared a tribe on a reservation system, therefore are considered Indian country and sovereign, not part of ANCSA, as they decided in 1970 to not be part of that agreement. So by virtue of that fact they are in the eyes of the DOI, NIGC and the BIA perfectly allowed to have a casino. The NVE as a participant of ANCSA is not on a reservation, not considered Indian country and there for not sovereign but some how have a piece of dirt 5.5 miles away from their village that is?? Money and corruption at it’s best. NVE and their counsel have been throwing mud at the wall on this issue for 35 years and finally under the Biden administration some of the mud stuck.
This will just cost us more for lawyers, cops, jails, investigations, and everything else related to crime that comes along with casinos. Just think getting drunk out there and driving back on the slick highway in the winter time the increase of accidents and problems on the highway. She’s doing anything she can to get more money. Everybody watch out for taxes or anything else because she’s coming for your money.
It’s amazing how desperate these parasites are to squeeze us for more money. It’s always the top of their mind. So much for the tax cap.
Careful She will tax the crap out of it and put it in her pocket
The irony here is the Municipality wont’ be able to tax it for one dime. But it will generate a lot more work for law enforcement.
I’m originally from WA state and have witnessed Tribal gaming from its inception. It’s a two edged sword. There are great economic benefits and it does help the tribes earn revenue and lessen government dependence (the Puyallup and Muckleshoot tribes were lifted out of severe poverty). Gambling is still gambling and it’s got the associated societal ills. But, if people want to gamble they will so hopefully it will keep dollars at home.
Thank you for your level headed and informative comment. It’s strange seeing this supposed freedom loving pro business crowd, hating on a tribe that wants to lift itself out of property. Plus if people want to gamble, that’s their problem, same goes for alcohol. And newsflash, we already have prostitution and organized crime in AK!
Dear Alaskagal;
Do you not know what the word “Crime” means?
Plus, the casino will only bring more money to the casino. It will be a huge net loss to the Municipality, Eagle River and Eklutna.
Tell me exactly how this will help everyone?
Gambling isn’t the only offering. The Puyallups and Muckleshoots also opened hotels, restaurants, and nice concert venues. The tribes also have their own tribal police which is accredited and can assist local law enforcement off reservation. Tribal members are given preference for jobs but anyone can apply, and be hired, for employment.
Just like 1850’s Mississippi, whites are given preference for jobs but anyone can apply.
Or 2020’s California, “of colors” are given preference for jobs but anyone can apply.
Let’s hear it for rascism!
An important difference between Washington and Alaska is the system of Native Corporations we have here.
A new casino in Alaska won’t help Eagle River or the Muckleshoots.
Jim; You’re promoting discrimination. Plus, if the tribe does manage to claim tax exemption, that will instantly put a huge burden on the Municipality of Anchorage that already has a huge financial burden it cannot sustain.
Jim; you also have never read or even heard of the Alaska Native Land Claims Settlement act. I recommend you take your time to read it.
Where is this casino going to get its water?
More crime and homelessness, no thank you. We are already taxed too much. In addition to property tax, businesses have to pay a value tax on their business every year too, already, that the public ends up paying in high rent and prices. They tax our cars too, registration and gas tax. And they say they want a temporary 3% sales tax, but what the plan behind closed doors is upwards of 10% permanent sales tax. Greedy greedy greedy, it never ends. If they want to tax something, tax alcohol so it is tax neutral, meaning that the tax covers the problems it creates – police, fire, detox, courts and corrections. Why should the tax payers be paying to clean up after a private industry?
LaFrance getting her Potter on from “It’s A Wonderful Life”.
She’s a blithering idiot.
We need to start a recall for the mayor cost us money like LA.
Casinos and most forms of gambling do one thing most effectively…they make poor people poorer. A casino is simply another way to monetize vice, enriching the casino owners at the expense of those who dream of that big payoff that almost never comes. That’s why a trip to a casino should be a rare event, like that Las Vegas vacation, and not something easy to do because people are weak and easily misled. Gambling, like all forms of vice, is something to keep out of your community, not something to welcome.
The leftist city government will be surprised when The Eklutna casino starts selling tax free cigarettes and booze.
No dam, no casino.
That property was a native allotment. In other words, Private Property. A tribe can’t legally buy private property and have it become sovereign tribal property. If that were the case I could sell my house in Fairbanks to a tribe, any tribe, and it would become sovereign property and they could open a casino. Any tribe in the state could start buying property, anyone’s property, claim it is tribal sovereign land and open a casino.
The state should be fighting this.
This is also a two edged sword. Yes, the tribes can buy property and it becomes sovereign. The Puyallups have purchased several properties, all of which were abandoned, derelict, and crime hubs. They rejuvenated the properties, built, and now they are productive. Neighboring parcels were purchased by private enterprises and gentrified entire blocks.
The Pullyups are a tribe in Washington state. I think you are comparing apples to oranges here. The ONLY reservation style tribe in Alaska lives in Metlakatla. All others are native corporations and to my knowledge do not have “nation/sovereign” status. Their shareholders get a dividend as far as I know. Since therefor there is no “sovereign” property in AK(other than mentioned above) any land purchased by the tribe would remain classified as private property beholden to the local/state regulations.
She, la-farce is an idiot, but I like the idea of a Casino in Eklutna, fun, fun
,fun! and your daddy took your T-bird away!
The Royal Flush is what Mayor Karen expects from the thrones in those fancy facilities she wants to hand us the bill for
Mayor LaFrance provided zero economic analysis, zero public health analysis, and zero justification for this major Las Vegas-run Marnell casino operation. La France’s shoddy, shortsighted support for a casino that will pay no taxes makes no sense now and it never will. LaFrance’s legacy will be increased crime, increased homelessness, increased mental illness, and increases in other social ills from casino gambling. What a disgrace for Anchorage.
does it really surprise you that your croaking liberal idiot of a mayor doesn’t know the difference between sovereign Indian Country and private property purchased and owned by an ANCSA Corporation.
Finally some new and diverse economic development that will bring jobs to Alaska!
Jobs like my former co-workers who worked seconds jobs are native-run casino. They. Got stiffed of their pay. ” too bad, so sad, white-eyes” ” we’re a tribe and we don’t have to abide by your racist Labor laws!”
Gambling is a tax on stupidity.
Good one…
So because they are such good stewards of the land we are going to support putting in a giant casino and parking lot…. Yup, the liberal viewpoint on environmentalism makes perfect sense!
The mayor’s support of the gambling casino seems no more welcome or wanted than the municipality’s official position to support crippling Anchorage’s electric and water infrastructure by doing away with Eklutna Dam.
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Did some labor-union donor, some donor(s) looking to launder leftover (and future) dark-money cash, casually drop a hint about this merit badge looking pretty good on future governor LaFrance?
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Maybe the Floundering LaFrance Mob should stick with what they do best, figuring out how to stiff productive residents with a sales tax and any other tax they can think of before Eaglexit shatters their Royal Flush of half-million dollar porta-potties and DEI drones to fill them?
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Seems strange, does it not, that the city’s chief hood ornament suddenly, officially, cares more about a “tribe” of dubious origin than Birchwood taxpayers… makes one wonder what changed hands to make Floundering LaFrance abandon Birchwood and embrace Eklutna.
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Couldn’t be an attempt to sabotage Eaglexit, tangle up “tribe”, casino, payoffs, taxes, revenue streams, Birchwood into a puzzle that shouldn’t take more than several million in lawyer’s fees to figure out, far beyond Eaglexit sponsors’ ability to afford, effectively cancelling Eaglexit, and preserving Eagle River tax money for Anchorage’s Ruling Class?
Well put.
Wow, I can’t believe that there is something the Mayor of Anchorage and Governor Dunleavy actually agree upon, looks like they both are in favor of gambling despite looking at all the “negative” impacts to our state. ‘https://www.adn.com/politics/2021/01/29/dunleavy-renews-push-for-legal-gambling-and-announces-drive-for-alaska-self-sufficiency-in-first-ever-remote-state-of-the-state-speech/
Since this remarkably ill-conceived and badly-located casino proposal by the abusive 800 lb gorilla in the Chugiak/Birchwood/Eagle River room, Eklutna Tribe and Corp., would ONLY benefit them, while imposing social and financial costs on the community at large, being an extremely large and destructive detriment to the Birchwood and greater Anchorage community, of course our marxist mayor LaFrance is all in favor of it.
On a final note, I’ve seen the before and after of Indian gaming enterprises. What were once poverty stricken, derelict reservations and land parcels are now vibrant, thriving businesses. This new prosperity spreads beyond the Indian lands and creates an entire industry of keeping these enterprises supplied and staffed. Go see for yourself before passing judgement.
Jim, in principle I agree with you.
If the NVE wants to build a casino and they can get a permit from the state, go for it. I object to the location and the heavy-handed, one-sided “my-way-or-the-highway” dictum. Nothing in this project is open and transparent and the Gaming Bureau in my opinion is overstepping here. Who heard of a 2 week comment period over a holiday season no less? Alaska has a very different structure when it comes to native land, than the lower 48. I wonder why the NVE is not building their casino at Eklutna. They certainly own land there, do not have to compete for water with the local neighborhood, have Glenn hwy access and the access roads can be a laid out to facilitate good egress. I wonder, who in the end actually benefits here. Something is weird!
Granted, the one unknown for Tribal gaming here is the population base. However, there are successful venues in less populated areas, just on a smaller scale. Adjacent to the casinos are gas station convenience stores and some small retail outlets. It’s not all gambling.
““The Municipality of Anchorage values and respects our government-to-government relationship with the Native Village of Eklutna.”
Huh??? What government? Eklutna native village is a participant in ANCSA, received land and funds in compensation and has no nation status. It is like buying a house, paying for it and then having the former owner come and go as they please or demand to decorate in a certain way.
Never thought id agree with a democrat. This is long overdue, now get powerball and scratchers here!
If the municipality can’t tax it or there’s no revenue stream off of it who’s going to pay for the cops, paramedics lawyers, emergency personnel and all the support people it’s gonna take because we all know this casino is gonna cause crime theft, burglary, auto theft, drunken driving, wrecks gunshots shootings And so on
All the tribal casinos I’ve visited have a heavy security presence. You make it sound like the wild west or something from the movie “Roadhouse.” A strong security presence sets the tone, and troublemakers are quickly taken care of. The thugs will go elsewhere.
On any given night, 7,906 people in Clark County Nevada are experiencing homelessness. That’s a 20% jump compared to 2023 and a 36% jump compared to 2022. Just sayin’.
How about we legalize online gambling instead?
Who benefits from that? Who regulates it? Big tech is too influencial as it is.
As a Birchwood resident, I would like to formally share my nonsupport of the Eklutna village practicing its sovereignty, blah blah blah At the expense of a peaceful neighborhood. Here’s an idea: put your casino right outside your little village on your exit rather than in the middle of a pre-existing neighborhood!
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