By Caitlin McGlade | The Arizona Republic
The state compact governing Indian gaming does not ban more tribal casinos from opening in the Phoenix area, U.S District Judge David Campbell ruled Tuesday.
The ruling is a win for the Tohono O’odham Nation, which has battled since 2009 to open a West Valley casino.
The ruling closes a case filed in 2011 by the state and two Valley tribes, which argued the Tohono O’odhams’ plans would violate the voter-backed compact. They
said the compact intended to cap the number of Valley casinos, despite the fact that such language never made its way onto paper.
But Campbell wrote the compact “cannot reasonably be read to include such a ban.”
The Tohono O’odham Nation seeks to build a casino on land it purchased near 95th and Northern avenues, not far from Glendale’s sports district.
One of the Valley tribes said it would consider an appeal.
Disclosure: Rose Law Group represents Arizona Legislature leadership in the case.
