TRIBAL GAMING IN FOCUS
CA tribes suffer early blow in cardroom suit and new expansions for Snoqualmie Casino and the Citizen Potawatomi Nation.
CA Judge’s Tentative Ruling Sides in Favor of Cardrooms
On August 8, Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Lauri Damrell sided with state cardrooms in a tentative ruling that would dismiss a suit brought by numerous gaming tribes over the latter’s use of third-party player-dealers.
According to Courthouse News Service, Darmell is leaning in favor of the argument that the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act preempts state law, which would prompt a dismissal. However, the ruling was tentative and not enforced — the case has another hearing set for Oct. 10.
If realized, that ruling would put tribes in a tough spot, as they successfully lobbied for the passage last year of Senate Bill 549, which was drafted solely to grant tribes the access they needed to sue in state court. If it is decided that IGRA preempts state law anyway, all of that work would appear to be for naught. For cardrooms, the ruling is a massive initial victory, as an adverse ruling would likely lead to many closures and layoffs.
For nearly 20 years, cardrooms have been using third-party dealers to make the games more approachable, as few recreational players desire to act as the dealer/ bank. Tribes have said for years that this constitutes house-banked games and therefore violates their exclusivity for offering such games in the state.
Snoqualmie Casino Opens New Hotel Tower
Snoqualmie Casino & Hotel in Seattle hosted the grand opening of its new hotel tower, offering customers access to several new facilities.
Formerly known as Snoqualmie Casino, the venue in Washington staged the opening event on August 8. Tribal leaders, casino executives and other guests were in attendance to mark the occasion.
The event also featured a drone show, the first of its kind within the Snoqualmie Valley. Snoqualmie Casino & Hotel CEO Mary Lou Patterson was among those speaking at the grand opening.
“The grand opening marks the beginning of a new era for us,” she said. “We bring to the Snoqualmie Valley a new destination filled with luxury, relaxation and fun filled excitement.”
Central to the expansion project was the new hotel tower, which offers views of the Cascade Mountains and Snoqualmie Valley. Other improvements include the MoonRise Spa, offering a range of treatments, as well as Hawks Peak, a sports bar featuring 66 screens. In addition, the Drip coffee bar opened its second location within the tower.
CPN Opens New Shawnee Casino Hotel
The Citizen Potawatomi Nation celebrated the grand opening last week of its new FireLake Casino and FireLake Hotel property in Shawnee, Oklahoma. The casino boasts some 500 slots, with a 126-room hotel and other amenities.
“I want to welcome all of you to the newest addition to the Citizen Potawatomi Nation’s facilities,” said CPN Chairman John Barrett, per Indian Gaming. “We hope that there’ll be a lot of happiness in this building, and we’re very, very grateful that all of you are here.”
