Tribal Showdown

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The tribal government of the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians, which had hoped to reopen the Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino in Coarsegold, northern California, in September, saw its plans shattered by the resignation of its entire gaming commission in September.

This has caused it to reach out and enlist former National Indian Gaming Commission chief Phil Hogen to advise them on gaming regulatory issues. Hogen was chairman of the NIGC from 2002 to 2009.

The departing commissioners, Lael Echo Hawk, Harlan Goodson and Norm DesRosiers, followed Executive Director Kammy Chhom out the door. All cited their inability to do their jobs without interference from the tribal government.

Reggie Lewis, the tribe’s interim council chairman, declared, “We have to get that taken care of. Without a gaming commission in place, we can’t open the casino.”

As of October 10, the casino had been closed for a year. When it was open, the casino had 1,000 employees.

In its notification to the tribe, the NIGC wrote that the tribe’s “willingness to violate its own tribal gaming laws while negotiating the settlement of existing NIGC enforcement actions is alarming.”

The tribe hopes that Hogen’s participation will help them get on the good side of the NIGC again. Lewis issued a statement that said, “Hogen’s independent voice is exactly what we needed to get the casino operating again and generating revenue for the tribe, and providing a world-class customer experience that brings jobs and economic activity to the region.”