By Monica Alonza | Phoenix New Times
The Gila River Indian Community has spent nearly $11 million in federal lobbying since 2009, the year its sister tribe, the Tohono O’odham Nation announced its plans to open a West Valley casino.
The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community joined GRIC in its battle to block the casino, and it has dropped nearly $2 million on federal lobbying.
That’s almost $13 million dedicated to lobbying in Washington, D.C. to stop the Nation from opening its doors to the West Valley Resort, a casino which has already broken ground on a swath of land near 91st and Northern avenues.