Gambling in Zuni? Maybe

By Pamela G. Dempsey
Staff Writer

ZUNI — Gaming could be in the near future for the Pueblo of Zuni.

Governor Arlen P. Quetawki said in an interview on Tuesday that the council is looking first to conduct feasibility studies on gaming and then present the issue to the people.

Other tribes, he said, used the profits from gaming for housing, water, and sewer needs.

"We're a much bigger tribe," Quetawki said.

Under New Mexico's Governor Bill Richardson's tourism initiatives, Quetawki said the council would consider locations for future casinos by comparing them to ones already established in New Mexico.

New Mexico has 18 established pueblos. In 1997, the State of New Mexico legalized tribally-owned casinos and 13 of its tribes got into the game. In 2001, 11 tribes and pueblos signed gaming compacts with the State of New Mexico.

Under this compact, New Mexico takes 8 percent of the revenue.

The National Indian Gaming Commission reported that the 43 tribally-owned gaming operations in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Southern Nevada brought in more than $1.8 billion in revenues. New Mexico and Arizona make up more than 80 percent of those operations.

Gaming is one way for Zuni to increase its revenue, Quetawki said.

And one way to increase tourism traffic.

Recently, Zuni launched its own magazine to do just that.

The Spirit of Zuni included in its annual visitor's guide articles on Zuni life and highlights of local artists and tribal leaders.

The Pueblo of Zuni is made up of more than 723 square miles and has 11,500 tribal members. The pueblo is known nationally and internationally for its arts and crafts and receives hundreds of visitors a year.

Quetawki said copies of the magazine and visitor's guide were sent to Richardson to make him aware of Zuni's interest in New Mexico's tourism potential.

"He'll know Zuni is tourism," Quetawki said. "Hopefully, we can work with him on this."

Richardson signed a gaming compact with the Navajo Nation in Nov. 2003 authorizing gaming at the Tohajiilee chapter. In June 2004, Richardson signed another gaming compact with the Mescalero Apache Tribe, which ended a long-lasting litigation war between the two parties.

On the net: http://www.nigc.gov

To contact reporter Pam Dempsey, call (505) 879-1707 or email pamelagdempsey@msn.com