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
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.
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 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.