Flathead loses Class III, Rocky Boy nears opening
Pub Date: 1/1/2007
Nearly 750 Class III gaming machines have been removed from the Flathead Indian Reservation in the wake of the Nov. 30 expiration of a state/tribal gaming compact.
The state and tribes had been negotiating since spring of 2006, with the tribes' opening and only position calling for total tribal control of all gambling regulation and operation on the reservation, while the state offered several proposals including to extend the current compact.
Federal and state authorities had previously alerted operators of Class II gaming machines poker and keno that, in the event no new compact was signed, all Class III gaming equipment would have to be removed from reservation lands by Dec. 15.
The tribes will apparently continue to operate about 200 of their Class II "bingo" machines.
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The Chippewa-Cree Tribes of the Rocky Boys Reservation south of Havre now hope to have their new $16 million casino, Northern Winz, open at the end of January, rather than during the New Year's holiday as originally planned. A hotel to be added to the complex in the spring will bring the total cost of the facility to about $26 million.
The Chippewa-Cree have, unlike the Flathead and Blackfeet tribes, signed a compact with the state which allows them to run Class III gaming machines featuring poker and keno. The tribes will also offer Class II "bingo" machines that play much like Las Vegas slots and can produce large payouts.
Recently the Chippewa-Cree applied for a state-issued alcohol beverage license for use at the casino, though the reservation has traditionally been "dry." The change has stirred some controversy among tribal members on the reservation.
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It has been reported that the new Blackfeet casino at Browning, Glacier Peaks, has laid off its weekdays morning shift, apparently due to seasonally low traffic.
That casino opened amid much fanfare, and with some apparent Class III games such as blackjack being advertised. However, no Class III games are now in play and have not been for awhile.
The Blackfeet have no compact with the state so is allowed under federal law to operate only Class II games such as bingo. However, some machines that play like Las Vegas slots have thus far been declared by at least one federal court to be bingo and will be operated at Glacier Peaks.
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The U.S. Supreme Courth has refused to consider a case involving state jurisdiction on Indian Reservations. The case revolved over a state raid on an Indian tobacco outlet on the Naraganset Reservation in Rhode Island. The state had procured a search warrant for the business. The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling upholding state jurisdiction has been ratified by the Supreme Court's decision to not review the case.
Source: The Montana Tavern Times, Jan., 2007, published monthly by Continental Communications, 125 W. Granite St., Suite 102, Butte, MT 59701.