The Navajo Nation is looking at three potential sites for its first permanent casino, one in New Mexico and two in Arizona.

Last month, the Tribal Council’s Budget and Finance Committee listed three potential sites: Upper Fruitland, New Mexico; and Sanders and Flagstaff, both in Arizona.

Now that the sites have been identified they are subject to feasibility studies, including environmental and biological review, as well as being checked for potential archaeological sites.

The Navajo Nation is divided into 110 local government subdivisions, called chapters. For a casino to be built on a chapter its government must approve legislation that makes gaming legal, although it also requires the approval of the tribal nation’s government to agree to fund it.

The Upper Fruitland Chapter has passed the necessary legislation and its residents approved of a casino a year ago. They are hoping that a casino could break ground this year, but that decision, or whether any casino will be built at any of the three locations, will be made later by the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise.

The nation opened its first temporary casino, Fire Rock (left), at Church Rock last year.

By GGB Staff

Staff writers for Global Gaming Business magazine. Las Vegas, Nevada.