- Information
- By Tribal Business News Staff
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A contentious gaming hall proposed by the Native Village of Eklutna has gained the backing of the Anchorage mayor, despite the state governor urging the incoming Trump administration to withdraw its approval.
The Chin’an Gaming Hall, intended to be constructed on a 6.5-acre parcel on the fringe of Anchorage, has garnered the support of Mayor Suzanne LaFrance, who remarked on the prospective array of new employment opportunities and other economic advantages during her statements to Alaska Public Media (APM).
“We are confident that there would be a cascading effect as well, enhancing the surrounding businesses, hotels, and workforce,” LaFrance stated to APM.
The Chin’an Gaming Hall represents a potential flashpoint for tribal gaming in Alaska. The Eklutna tribe initiated its pursuit of the hall in February 2024 after the Interior Department reinterpreted Alaskan land regulations, extending Native jurisdiction over tribal lands within the state. By August 2024, as referenced in previous Tribal Business News articles, the tribe had secured preliminary consent from the National Indian Gaming Commission. In December, the Interior issued its environmental study, which concluded there were no substantial concerns, as reported by LaFrance.
Locals owning property nearby have opposed the gaming hall, while Gov. Mike Dunleavy has added revoking any permissions for the hall on a list of demands to President-elect Donald Trump. In December, the property owners proceeded to file a lawsuit against NIGC acting chair Sharon Avery seeking to halt the gaming hall’s construction, as documented in a legal file.
One involved party, Brian Hall, expressed to APM that the gaming hall poses a threat to local wildlife and has implications for the surrounding community.
“We are a close-knit community,” he stated. “If the casino is developed, it will alter the entire atmosphere of the neighborhood.”
Eklutna Village President Aaron Leggett conveyed his “disappointment” regarding the lawsuit, according to a news piece from station KTUU, but expressed a commitment to collaborate with project stakeholders for mutual advantage.
“We aspire to engage all stakeholders, including neighbors of the project, to make a potential gaming hall a positively impactful endeavor in every feasible aspect,” Leggett remarked.
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