Pair of Idaho tribes to potentially submit separate off-reservation casino plans

In the western American state of Idaho and a pair of federally-recognized tribes have reportedly begun preparing plans that may see them officially apply for permission to bring off-reservation casinos to the area around the small community of Mountain Home.

According to a Thursday report from the BoiseDev news outlet, the process for the Shoshone-Bannock of Eastern Idaho and the Shoshone-Paiute Tribe to be given the right to open gambling-friendly facilities in Ellmore County has only just started. The source detailed that these schemes could take up to a decade to complete owing to the fact they would need to be approved by numerous local, state and federal authorities before gaining a final sign-off from the state’s governor.

Pronounced plan:

Already responsible for four on-reservation casinos in ‘The Gem State’ including the 156-room Shoshone-Bannock Casino Hotel, the Shoshone-Bannock of Eastern Idaho is reportedly looking at the possibility of bringing a new 500,000 sq ft gambling-friendly enterprise to a 157-acre plot of land it purchased a little over two years ago. The tribe purportedly explained that this $311 million facility could feature a 250-room hotel, six restaurants, an eight-lane bowling alley and a 15,000 sq ft events center as well as a casino offering a selection of up to 2,000 slots.

Viability vote:

As part of its preparations and the Shoshone-Bannock of Eastern Idaho is reportedly set to hold a tribal referendum for reservation residents over the age of 21 on September 23. The successful passage of this plebiscite would purportedly allow the band to push forward with its plan to build and operate a facility to moreover feature a pair of cinemas, an arcade and a horseracing track.

Raw reaction:

Randy’L Teton serves as a spokesperson for the Shoshone-Bannock of Eastern Idaho and she reportedly told BoiseDev that her tribe is not yet ready to release any further details regarding its casino plan. Nevertheless, the source disclosed that the site for the proposed gambling-friendly development sits just east of Mountain Home near an exit for Interstate 84 and was purchased for $1.57 million.

Reportedly read a statement from Teton…

“We appreciate your interest but we are not ready for a public article on the project as we have some internal matters that are currently being addressed. We won’t have a public update until the last week of September.”

Smaller scenario:

For its part and the Shoshone-Paiute Tribe does not currently operate any casinos but is reportedly said to be investigating the possibility of bringing its first gambling-friendly venue to a plot of land situated on the other side of Interstate 84 and approximately 100 miles north of its Duck Valley Reservation home. Brian Mason serves as the band’s Chairman and he purportedly divulged that the tribe has been pursuing this plan since the 1990s and should now be given preference over the Shoshone-Bannock of Eastern Idaho because the majority of its members do their shopping in Mountain Home.

Mason reportedly told BoiseDev…

“The ties and the partnerships between Duck Valley Reservation and Mountain Home are much greater between our reservation than theirs. To our tribe, this seems like an overstep by a larger Indian tribe that already has gaming to come into our backyard and try to bully us.”