About Indian casinos and why I am concerned

[NVMojo]

I am hoping very hard that the powers that be who are investigating the Abramoff scandal are acutely aware of one thing, casino developers.

I work for a federally recognized tribe and have studied the Indian casino deal for more than a year because the tribe I work for was approached by a very wealthy LV man who wanted to use their federal recognition to build an Indian casino in another state. The deal was going to leave the tribe making about 25% of the profit with him.his family on the casino's dole for lifetime plus the tribe paying him back for construction, etc. Thankfully, the deal looks like it won't pan out, it made no sense as it was so far away from where they live and have lived.

The reason I am concerned is that finger-pointing has started against the tribes who have casinos and what many don't realize is there is more than likely big money from the non-Indian casino developers/investors. Some tribes with casinos make payments to these people or take a smaller share of the profits. Usually, the casino corporations approach the tribes, as was the case with the one I know. Sometimes it is the casino corporations fronting the tribes the money to get the endeavor through the federal recognition or land acquisition process with Congress. Tribes are considered "individuals" under FEC rules so they make a better front for giving to elected officials who need their palms greased in such deals.

Tribal people are "schooled" in these ways by non-Indians in most cases. Such a legacy we leave them.

Eventually, some tribes make enough money to get rid of the non-Indian developers and then the story changes but that is more rare than usual.

We can't let the GOP play the "blame game" on tribes in the Abramoff deal. Non-Indians courted the tribes to use as covers for their money making schemes on sovereign nations lands in most cases.

In the case I mentioned above, upon researching it, I found the casino developer was personally a huge Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee donor and Bush donor for years ...

[spindrifter]

1. Do we know who the

casino developers are? Are they like the Carlyle people--long-time friends and relations who have decided to divide up a topic that is fruitful to them? And do we know the developers other investment streams?

[NVMojo]

2. yes, in most cases, they have been the big companies who already

own casinos in Vegas, Atlantic City, etc. I will post research shortly.

Off the top of my head, some of the big names include Stations Casinos from Nevada, Nevada Gold and other big names.

Here's a brief mention of one who paid a DeLay connection to stop another casino:
snip...

The firm has already been dropped by one client, MGM Mirage, the casino and resort giant, which retained it in 2004, paying about $350,000 to help block a maneuver by an Indian tribe in Michigan.

At the end of last year, MGM ended the relationship. Alan Feldman, a spokesman for MGM, said that the project had ended and that the firm's services were no longer needed. But Mr. Feldman acknowledged that the scrutiny surrounding Alexander Strategy was a concern. "It would be dishonest to say that it didn't come up in discussions," he said.

more...

http://corpwatch.org/article.php?id=13061

[spindrifter]

3. Hmmph! Alexander Strategy

is involved...the whole thing could be very interesting and very scandalous.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. Just further exploitation of the tribes

I hope that your tribe decides not to go with any of these developers unless they can get a really fair deal.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

5. do you think???

Do you think ANY Native tribe would deal with dishonorable and likely Republican voting "developers" if they had a choice? Have you ever seen a reservation? There's not a lot of extra funding floating around in most tribes. If Creeks in Alabama ever get a casino, it will be through developers. It's a necessary evil in most cases.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

6. Been to the Choctaw res

in OK, and yes, I've seen what it is like. But there have to be some people who are willing to deal honorably with the Native peoples! A friend of mine who is a retired engineer volunteers time on the res to help with building affordable housing. Surely there are more folks like him around.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

7. you know...

I'd like to see tribes that already have casinos loan their less-fortunate brothers and sisters the money to expand. Casinos rarely fail and other tribes might even pay a higher interest rate to keep developers out of the deal. Sadly, here in Alabama we can't depend on the Choctaw Band in Mississippi because of all that Alabama money flowing into their casinos right across the state line. Had Natives been moe united in the early days, things would be different today. Like Franklin said at the First Continental Congress. "We can either hang together or hang separately."

[NVMojo]

9. ...and that is my point. they are poor, they don't have $$$ for lobbyists

so the casino developers give them the cash to do it. So if the GOP wants to blame tribes, they need to look a wee bit closer at who they really helped, the casino developers/investors.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

11. please...

Check your private messages. I just sent you something important.

[NVMojo]

12. got it and it is great! Thanks for your hard work! This is a huge issue!

[Jeffersons Ghost]

17. Kick

Let's not forget the ever-unraveling scandal... Sunday is the day repuke leaders resign, so media has an excuse not to cover the story, because top reporters are off duty. By Monday the stories will become "old news" which is just another excuse. When Ney resigned they barely even reported it sunday down here in clear channel hell, except at 3:15 AM.

[NVMojo]

8. interestingly enough, the rich white guy suddenly was contacted by

someone he knew in DC who said it would take too long to get the deal through. I suspected the Russian mob was involved with this man. Long story, don't want to end up dead. LOL!

But the point is that I hope the DOJ knows that the tribes are infiltrated with big money first then their federal recognation is used for cover to get the deals through for the rich developers to bleed more money. Don't even get me started on the tribes and the "disenrollment" process that has occurred with the tribal end of profits. Yep, the great white way of greed infects even the innocents we've already harmed. Amerika should be ashamed.

Here's a link to a fundie group fighting off-reservation Indian casinos. Wonder if they understand that their religious hero -DeLay, was pushing deals like this through?

http://www.ncalg.org/conference_reports.htm

[Jeffersons Ghost]

10. Thanks for this post

While I only have a trickle of the Creek blood in my veins that seemed to shame my great grandmother into numerous name changes, which makes tracing the my Native legacy near impossible, I still have enough kinship to fight for what's right. I'm not Creek enough to personally benifit from a casino here but I do want my children to have the quality education a casino would support in this state. By the way, thanks for your post. I intend to keep it kicked up today. I hope others will help.

[NVMojo]

13. Hang in there, Jeffersons Ghost!

I am non-Indian but feel America needs to grow a conscience with regards to how we treat the indigenous peoples of this land.

As an FYI to those interested in learning more, check out www.pechanga.net and www.indianz.com for Indian gaming related story links.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

14. non-native

I don't feel your heritage matters, when your heart is right. Obviously, your heart is right in the message board you created NYMojo. I was not black when I attacked a racist comment just the other day. I was also non-urban when a group of Alabama red-necks beat the crap out of me in the late 60s for my views on equality. In truth, heritage really matters little when it comes to attacking those who hate others who are different. A great man once said "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character." That's a wonderful dream Dr. King but I personally dream of the day when no human will judge another in any way at all. Another great spiritual icon said, "Judge not least ye be judged." Divinity shimmers from the statement. Isn't that view the essence of most major religions on this planet?

[NVMojo]

15. Thank you. Jeffersons Ghost ... now here is testimony from a tribal member

referring to those casino "investors" who are "tribe shopping" while the tribes get accused of "reservation shopping."

snip...

This indicates clearly that the United States and Greenville Rancheria recognize that the Greenville Maidu’s proper land request should be limited to Plumas County, California, not Tehama County, California. However, the developer, the Wilmots of New York, have purchased property in Tehama County along Interstate 5. Therefore, the Wilmots want to relocate the Greenville Maidu to this new location. Such relocation will satisfy this out-of-state investor’s appetite for profit. No consideration is being given to the Maidu’s true ancestral territory or the land recognition indicated in the Hardwick case. Again, the focus is on the needs of the investor, not the Tribe or surrounding community.

Legal Counsel for the Greenville Tribe, Judith Albietz, when asked why the Tribe does not have land in Greenville and if a site-search was conducted and how this location was chosen emphasized, “the developer approached the Tribe with this project.” That is taken from the Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Supervisors of the County of Tehama, Tuesday, May 18, 2004. In addition, Ms. Albietz went so far as to say, “the developer of the project, the Wilmots, will be a good partner with Tehama County…the facility will be run by the Wilmots.” Notice she referred to the New York developer and not the Greenville Maidu Indians.

Members of the Committee, should an investor have the right to place a casino in your community, in your congressional districts, by convincing Tribes to make a faulty land claim? I can assure you; an investor’s first priority is not that a Tribe returns to their ancestral lands. Over the years, I have witnessed many Tribes fall victim to empty promises made by investors – hopes shattered and communities overwhelmed. Rather than “reservation shopping,” I have found “tribe shopping” is probably the more appropriate term. It seems that investors, such as the Wilmots from New York, purchase land and then throw a tribe at it and see if they stick. Federal law must be updated through this legislation to prevent these situations such as the one we face in Tehama County.

more...

http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/archives/109/testimony/2005/leslielohse.htm

[Jeffersons Ghost]

16. 1st Amendment

When "ancestral territory" is violated it totally violates rights guaranteed to ALL Americans in the First Amendment. Tribes have "fallen victim" to this abuse of power ever since invaders decided to steal their land hundreds of years ago and the trend obviously continues.