Proposed Casino in Mountain Home, Idaho Divides Two Native American Tribes
A dispute has surfaced between two related indigenous tribes regarding the construction of a casino in the vicinity of southern Idaho, bordering Nevada, according to The Idaho Statesman.
The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, also known as the Sho-Ban, intend to construct a $311 million casino in Mountain Home, approximately 45 minutes southeast of Boise. In 2020, they acquired land close by for this purpose and have subsequently applied to the government for it to be taken into trust, a necessity for tribal gambling.
However, last month, the Shoshone Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation, or the Sho-Pai, requested that the US Interior Secretary, Deb Haaland, and Idaho's Republican governor, Brad Little, deny the Sho-Ban's request.
Only Scope for a Single Casino
The significance of this issue is that the Sho-Pai is the only federally recognized tribe in Idaho lacking a casino and has desired to build one in Mountain Home since the 1990s. Due to market constraints, there can only be one casino in the area, necessitating a resolution.
In a letter to Haaland and Little dated May 15, Sho-Pai chairman Brian Mason emphasized that Mountain Home is located within the traditional territory of the Sho-Pai people and that the city has always been the tribe's closest neighbor. He also highlighted the geographical proximity of the Duck Valley reservation to Mountain Home, making it more suitable for the Sho-Pai to build their casino there. Additionally, he pointed out that while his tribe lacks casinos, the Sho-Ban has three.
The core issue is that the Sho-Ban shares ancestral links with the Northern Paiute people, as both groups participated together in the Bannock War of 1878 against the U.S. government.
"Although we regularly endorse our fellow tribes' endeavors to establish new economic development ventures that will enhance their communities' lives, the Sho-Ban Tribes' proposal for a fourth tribal casino in Sho-Pai ancestral territory is too much to bear," Mason wrote.
Withdrawn Investment
In 2020, the Sho-Pai sent out a request for proposal to other tribal operators in an attempt to work on a shared project. The Sho-Ban responded by proposing a joint venture where the smaller tribe would hold a 10% stake. The Sho-Pai rejected this proposal.
The Sho-Pai then collaborated with a private development firm, but the organization withdrew its investment upon learning about the Sho-Ban's impending project.
Mason stated that his tribe requires a casino to encourage economic growth given that around 60% of the reservation's residents currently face unemployment.
The Sho-Ban were unavailable for comment when contacted by the Statesman regarding the situation.
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