Governor:
Tribe Must Pay for Table Games
As reported by the Asheville
Citizen-Times: "The Eastern Band of Cherokee
Indians must offer the right amount of money
before winning permission to have card dealers
at Harrah's Cherokee Casino, Gov. Mike Easley
said in an interview.
"Teams
from the Eastern Band and governor's office
have been meeting monthly since April over the
possibility of changing the 2000 gaming compact
with North Carolina. The tribe wants card dealers
for games such as poker and blackjack.
"In
documents sent to Easley, the Eastern Band has
said Western North Carolina could see 430 new
jobs with a payroll of $15.2 million if the
state allows live poker, craps, blackjack and
other new games.
"…Since
the video gambling machine operation opened
in 1997, the 13,000-member tribe has created
a business that brings in an estimated profit
of $155 million annually.
"…The
tribe's five-year-old gambling agreement with
North Carolina requires the Eastern Band to
spend $5 million in gambling revenue each year
to fund a foundation that pays for projects
that promote non-gambling economic development,
protect the environment and preserve Cherokee
heritage and culture.
"Beyond
the foundation, the tribe is not required to
pay a fee for gaming rights.
"…Some
tribes pay for the right to have live card dealers,
said Shawn Pensoneau of the Washington D.C.-based
National Indian Gaming Commission, which regulates
gambling on Indian reservation…"
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